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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24189022">Stone, Blood and Glass</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickiiMelissa/pseuds/VickiiMelissa'>VickiiMelissa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Danny Phantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Vampire, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Heartbreak, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Triangles, Manipulation, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Vampire Violence, hard breakup, violence tw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:26:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>76,517</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24189022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickiiMelissa/pseuds/VickiiMelissa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There's been a murder on campus at Amity University. The police are stumped and the public is nervous a madman is on the loose. </p><p>Valerie Gray is a self taught hunter. The murder on campus brought her back to her hometown. She knows a Vampire attack when she sees one, and she's come back to track down the Vampire responsible, and take them down. </p><p>Danny Fenton is a seemingly normal Amity University Biology student. His secret is that he's a half Vampire, looking for a way to be all human again. The student who was helping him reach his goal is murdered just before they were set to meet. Danny must find his murderer to protect his fellow students, and also to find out if there is a way back to humanity for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Danny Fenton/Valerie Gray, Ember McLain/Danielle "Dani" Phantom, Tucker Foley/Paulina Sanchez, Valerie Gray/Wulf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>87</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Murder in the Science Building</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If the tags seem unrelated to you sometimes, its because they haven't come up yet, but I want to warn people it will be referenced eventually. Some tags I will add as the things come up, so as not to spoil for people reading along as the story is updated. I try to keep characters at least close to their canon personalities, and differences are due to how I personally believe they would change as they got older, and with the new setting of Vampires instead of ghosts to worry about.</p><p>Feedback is much appreciated. I hope you enjoy reading.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day was warm with a cooling breeze. The trees were fully shifted to reds and yellows, and leaves were falling. Students at Amity Park University were milling around the center courtyard as usual. Midterms were in full swing and most people were hurrying along while sipping at coffees, noses in notebooks and note cards, desperate for the end of exams and the start of a two week-long fall break. Most students were so absorbed in last minute studying and rushing to class, that they didn’t even notice they were walking past an active crime scene.</p><p>The science building was a “U” shaped building renovated from the early 80’s, with entrances on either end of the “U”. The crime scene tape was blocking one entrance and front hallway. Crime scene investigators had to take turns one or two at a time in the small computer lab right next to the exit where a body was found by cleaning staff at around five that morning. The officers were milling in the area just inside the doors redirecting people around their perimeter.</p><p>The detective shook his head as an officer had to direct yet another student to the other entrance to the science building. “Do you not see the crime scene tape? Jesus, it’s like 40 feet to the other door.”</p><p>“This door is closer to the stairs. Come on, man, I’m already running late.”</p><p>“Get out of here, kid, or we’ll drag your ass to the station for interfering with a police investigation.” The student finally heaved a great sigh and stomped to the other door.</p><p>“Unbelievable.” The detective said to the officer incredulously. “It’s like they don’t even care one of their classmates was murdered.”</p><p>The officer shrugged. “They wouldn’t be so blasé about it if they knew how he died.”</p><p>They stood in silence a moment as the door to their right opened and a gurney came through, loaded with a zipped-up body bag.  As they rolled it through the short stretch of hall out the front door, several students paused to watch a moment, then scurried on. Only a few stuck around any longer. A young man with white hair and a white turtleneck under his Amity windbreaker caught the detective’s eye. He was looking at the gurney with wide eyes from behind the tape. The detective approached him. “Hey. You okay?”</p><p>“Y-yeah… that’s not… it’s not Professor Lancer, is it?”</p><p>“No, it’s a student,” The detective glanced at the gurney as the white haired student looked conflicted, “Why did you think it was the professor?”</p><p>“He uses that room for study hall. That’s where I was going before…” he gestured at the police tape.</p><p>“Do you have a number or contact information for Mr. Lancer?”</p><p>“Uh, yeah, hold on.” The student pulled out his phone and scrolled through it to find the information he needed. “Can I ask… how did it… happen?”</p><p>The detective sighed. “Stabbed,” he said vaguely.</p><p>Danny swallowed nervously.</p><p>The detective pulled out his notebook and jotted down the information Danny provided. “And what was your name?” he asked.</p><p>The student put out a hand for the detective to shake. “Danny.”</p><p>“Full name Danial?”</p><p>“Yeah. Last name Fenton.” The detective offered a grim smile.</p><p>“Well, looks like study hall is cancelled for today, Danny.”</p><p>“Yeah. I’ll email the professor and find out if he maybe knows and changed the study spot. He’s usually here by now. Thanks.”</p><p>“Danny!” Danny turned, and a young gothic woman had emerged from a classroom near the end of the hall, and was waving to Danny. He waved back, and started to turn away before the detective called to him.</p><p>“Before you go, Danny. The student’s name was Thomas Arnold per his student ID. You know him?”</p><p>Danny thought and then shrugged. “No. I don’t think so. If he’s also a junior we may share some classes, but I don’t remember the name at all, sorry.” The young woman approached, looking from the police tape, to the detective, to Danny, and looking concerned.</p><p>“It’s alright. Girlfriend?”</p><p>“Yeah. Her name is Sam. We usually meet up at the study hall.”</p><p>The detective handed Danny his card. “Call me if you come up with anything useful, yeah?”</p><p>“For sure, I will.”</p><p>The detective was distracted when the officer called from near the door, asking for his signature on something. He nodded to Danny and his new companion before he jogged away.</p><p>Danny put an arm around Sam’s shoulder, and they walked to the other door to leave the building. As they left, a young woman watched Danny leave from the corner of her eye.</p><p>She looked at the intricate tattoo on her hand and wrist. She stuffed her hands back in her pockets, and hoisted her bag higher up on her shoulder. “Valerie!” She turned. The person waving to her was a tall, willowy woman with dark wavy hair cascading down her back. Valerie waved back with a wide smile and walked over to meet her friend.</p><p>“Hey, Paulina.” The two embraced, and Paulina looped her arm through Valerie’s.</p><p>“Woah, what’s going on here?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “I guess someone died.”</p><p>“Ew, sad. Is it anyone we know?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “I haven’t been here very long. I don’t know anything.”</p><p>Paulina shivered. “Well I don’t wanna think about it.” She started down the hall to the available exit. “Let’s go to the Dome and get some food. I have some time before my next midterm.” Valerie agreed, and pulled the collar up on her jacket as Paulina pulled her out into the cold. They followed the flow of the crowd heading toward the huge dome shaped building that marked the center of campus. Students moved in and out of the buildings lining their path like clockwork, people were finishing tests and/or getting ready to take them. The trees that lined the right side of the path were crowded with students taking a break from all the stress. Many lounged against tree trunks or played Frisbee in the grass beyond.</p><p>Valerie watched the students for a moment, and her attention was recalled when Paulina grabbed her wrist and tugged her left hand up to look at it. “You got another tattoo? Holy shit.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah. It was…”</p><p>“Does your dad know?”</p><p>“No, and I’m avoiding the shit out of him til I graduate because of it.”</p><p>“Probably the better choice. I mean he almost disowned you over the other one and it was just a little puzzle piece.”</p><p>“I know! And its on the inside of my ankle, so it’s not like its super out there either.”</p><p>“This one reminds me of those… um, what are they called? The henna designs women sometimes get.”</p><p>“Really?” Valerie looked at the spiraling designs upon her hand. “I guess a little, huh?”</p><p>“Oh, you should add white ink to it.”</p><p>“What? Why?”</p><p>“Well I hear for some people it doesn’t show up, but you’re pretty dark skinned, so I bet it would look really pretty on you.”</p><p>“Well, thanks, but I don’t think that’s really my thing. Every part of it means something, and I think I’ll keep it the way it is.”</p><p>Paulina shrugged. They came upon the Dome, and Valerie held the door for Paulina. They passed through the first set of doors and sighed with relief as they were blasted by warm air. They both shed their coats and continued through the inner doors. Lining the left and right walls of the dome on two floors were many restaurant stalls, the far wall was the entrance to the two-story school bookstore. Paulina beelined for the escalator and the bagel shop once on the second floor. They ordered bagels, yogurt cups, and iced tea.</p><p>“I can ring these items together to count as meals on your meal plans if you want.” The girl said as she tapped her register screen.</p><p>“Sure,” Paulina said. “I still have like, seven meals this week. I need to use them up.” She rolled her eyes and smiled at the cashier. “I have the 18 meals a week plan. Turns out I eat off campus all the time and it’s way more than I need.”</p><p>“I get it. I have that plan, too. IDs please.” The cashier smiled.</p><p>Paulina handed over her ID and said, “Use mine for both. She’s not a student.”</p><p>“Oh. Okay.”</p><p>Valerie and Paulina got their tea and moved off to the left to wait for their food. “How is your online thing going?”</p><p>Valerie threw up devil horns and said, “I’m rockin’ it. Looks like I’ll graduate a year early, and if I do, Daddy says he’ll let me use the extra money to travel.”</p><p>“What? That’s so cool! I’m so jealous.”</p><p>Valerie loved spending time with Paulina. She was a relaxing presence, and still easy to talk to, even though they hardly saw one another. When they got their food, they found seats near the second floor entrance for the bookstore, and continued to chat about mundane things. Valerie’s dad was now dating a school teacher. Paulina’s abuela was angry at her because she refused to babysit her cousins for free.</p><p>Then suddenly, Valerie felt a low hum in her hand. She glanced down and saw part of the tattoo there shimmering. She knew Paulina couldn’t see this but it wasn’t Paulina she was worried about seeing it. She looked up as she covered her hand, and was surprised to see the white-haired man from earlier. Danny- he’d told the detective. She looked again at her hand. There was no mistake. A vampire was near-by, and in the same direction as Danny, but it couldn’t be Danny. Valerie had seen him leave the science building. It was midday outside. There was no way for him to get from the science building to this one without passing through direct sunlight. So, she looked around him, and saw, a few paces behind, a large man with a square jaw and a mohawk. He could possibly be a guest or an older student, but his eyes were trained on Danny, and the look on his face was predatory. Danny seemed unaware, and slipped into the student bookstore. As she feared he would, the large man moved after him.</p><p>Valerie stood suddenly, and Paulina seemed startled. “Oh, sorry.” Valerie pressed her hands together and looked contrite. “I’m so sorry. Girl, I totally forgot I told my dad I’d grab him a university hoodie.”</p><p>Paulina waved off the apology. “It’s fine. I have to get to my midterm for econ anyway.” Paulina gave Valerie a quick one armed hug, and ran off. Valerie disposed of their trash near the bookstore, and used the moment to study the tattoo.</p><p>She followed it, trotting through the bookstore, adjusting her course as she glanced at the tattoo, and tried to look like a normal shopper. Eventually she came to a door that led to a back exit, and followed it. Halfway down the stairs, her path told her to go through a door labeled <em>employees only,</em> and she crept through it slowly. Just inside she could hear grunting and thudding from further down the way.</p><p>She adjusted the strap on her bag so it hung through her beltloops as instead of off her shoulder. She reached in, and wrapped her hand around the handle of a solid silver knife. She crept down the short hall and came upon the two men very quickly.</p><p>Up close, Valerie could see that the man was truly giant. Valerie guessed Danny stood somewhere from 5’10” to 5’11” and yet the large man had Danny by the shirt front, pinned to the wall almost three feet off the ground. Danny seemed determined. He gripped the man’s wrist and kicked out at the giant’s face. He made contact, and to Valerie’s surprise, the giant actually staggered, and lost his grip. Danny dropped to the ground, and kicked out again at the giant’s knee. He stepped out of range though, then brought his foot down on Danny’s chest. Danny cried out as the air was driven from his lungs. He gripped the boot and struggled to try to push it off.</p><p>Valerie took a running leap off a janitor’s cart behind the giant. She caught hold of him by the mohawk, and planted her feet on his back. The giant cried out this time and staggered again as Valerie drew her knife. He twisted, and Valerie drove her knife into his shoulder to steady herself. He cried out again, and blue flames burst forth from the knife.  Valerie tried to drive it in further, cursing the giant’s size. Any other vampire would be dead by now. The giant screamed. He reached over his shoulder and seized a handful of her hair. He pitched her back down the hall. Valerie rolled on impact and staggered back up to her feet. The vampire gripped the blade in his shoulder, and his hand was burned also.  He looked at his burn, then turned to Valerie, even as she reached into her bag again for a different tool.</p><p>Behind the giant, Danny coughed, and struggled to his feet. Before Valerie could make a move, the giant suddenly moved at super- human speed, and he was suddenly behind her. Valerie ducked, and felt the air whoosh through her hair as his claws slammed into the wall beside her. She moved clockwise, pivoting on her heel and caught him in the side with a fist. There was a blue flash and smoke, and he leapt back from her, clutching his side. Valerie smirked, and took another fighting stance. The giant sneered at her, and the silver rings on her fingers.</p><p>Behind her, Danny was finally getting to his feet. “What!?” he stared at Valerie, and at the giant.</p><p>“Listen, you need to get out of here,” Valerie said to him. “I’m going to do what I can to knock this guy down, then you need to make a run for it, alright?”</p><p>“Are you now, Prey?” the giant laughed. “A few lucky shots and you suddenly think I’m an easy kill?”</p><p>“Course not.” In a flash, Valerie swept the giant’s legs and reclaimed her knife from his shoulder as he hit the ground. The giant gripped his shoulder in pain, and Valerie turned to Danny. “Run! Now!” Danny took a running leap over the Giant and then paused and looked back at Valerie. “Go!”</p><p>Danny looked behind him toward the door, and then back to Valerie. “I can’t leave you here.”</p><p>“Yes, you can. Go!”</p><p>“No, I mean… look, I’m not…” The giant let out a roar of rage and charged after Danny.</p><p>“No!” Valerie moved after him, and the giant whipped around, and suddenly had her by the neck against the wall. Valerie tried to throw another punch and the giant grabbed her forearm and slammed it against the wall also. He had her.</p><p>Danny lunged for the giant, and the giant kicked at him, sending him sprawling again. The giant gripped Valerie’s hair and pulled her head back to expose her throat. Danny was running back toward them. “No!”</p><p>Valerie squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself. The giant opened his mouth and long fangs pierced Valerie’s neck. She felt a burning feeling around the bite, and from there, she was flooded with a tingling numbness. No sooner had she been bitten, however than she was released. “What is this!?” The giant yelled as he staggered back. He was sputtering and choking. “Disgusting! What are you?”</p><p>Valerie was leaning against the wall. Her body was shutting down as the venom spread. She laughed. “Not something you care for, huh?”</p><p>The giant was clutching his throat. He growled, and said, “I can still tear you apart with my claws.” Valerie tried to push herself back up the wall. Her grip failed and she slipped to the floor. Her knife clattered from her hand. She gritted her teeth.</p><p>The giant advanced on her again. His face was pure rage, and Valerie didn’t have the strength left to do more than watch as those sharp claws reached for her. Then she was looking at Danny’s back. He’d thrown off his jacket and used it to catch the giant’s arm. He pulled, yanking the giant down toward himself and caught him with an uppercut that was accompanied by a loud crack.</p><p>The giant reared back, and Valerie lifted her tattooed hand toward him.</p><p>“Mi ligas vin.” A new section of her tattoo shone a bright red.</p><p>The giant stumbled back as his arms snapped to his sides, and Danny moved with the same inhuman speed the giant had. He kicked the cleaning cart into the giant’s legs and sent him sprawling on his back.</p><p>Then, just as quickly, he picked Valerie up, and ran.</p><p>“You…!” Valerie stared at Danny wide eyed. His eyes- she was sure they were green or blue before- were red, and his canines had elongated into sharp fangs. She shoved weakly at his chest.</p><p>“Stop struggling. I’ll drop you.”</p><p>“You’re a vampire! Let me go!” she looked at her tattoo. It was still reacting to the giant, but not Danny. “What are you!?”</p><p>Danny burst back into the stairway, and Valerie glanced back over his shoulder. The giant was already thrashing around against the spell, and it wouldn’t last long since it was cast when Valerie was so weak. “Get us outside.” She said urgently. Danny nodded and headed down the stairs to the exit instead of back into the bookstore. He looked around briefly, and stepped out into the sunlight. He slowed his walk once he was a distance from the building.</p><p>“What was that spell thing you did?”</p><p>Feeling was returning to Valerie’s extremities as Danny set her down on a bench a little way from the Dome. He rubbed his arm where he’d hit it before, and looked back at her. She regarded him suspiciously. Indeed, his eyes were again green, and his teeth… they were a little longer than normal teeth for sure, but definitely not fangs.</p><p>“What the hell was that guy?” Danny stood with his hand on his hips, looking back toward the dome. “Goddamn it, I left my sociology notecards in there…”</p><p>“What are <em>you</em>?” Valerie demanded.</p><p>“I… am… a student. Danny. Fenton.” He held out a hand to her.</p><p>She hesitated.</p><p>He dropped his hand. “Oh, come on. Surely you can at least tell that I don’t mean any harm, right?”</p><p>Valerie lifted and flexed her hands, testing her returned strength. “Valerie...Gray.”</p><p>Danny looked relieved. “Valerie.” He frowned. “Valerie Gray?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I know that name.”</p><p>She looked him up and down. “You went to Amity high?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“So did I. I left partway through freshman year. Because My mom died.”</p><p>Danny’s eyes widened in recognition. “Oh! I…” He looked very embarrassed. “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“It’s… fine. Now answer my question the right way. What are you?”</p><p>Danny crossed his arms, looking uncomfortable.  “A Vampire. But only half.”</p><p>“What does that mean? I didn’t think Vampires could reproduce with humans.”</p><p>“They can’t. I was turned when I was fourteen.” He looked at his hand, and as he turned his hand over, his nails turned to claws and his green eyes went red. He sat next to Valerie, and pulled the collar down on his turtle neck so she could see puncture scars from an old bite.  Then he glanced back at the Dome. “Listen, I have one last mid-term in about fifteen minutes and then I’m done ‘til end of break.”</p><p>Valerie cocked an eyebrow. “We did leave a very pissed off Vampire in a crowded building. You don’t think we should maybe do something about that?”</p><p>Danny looked again toward the Dome. “I think he was following me. He was skulking around when I got to the Dome for lunch with my girlfriend. I know he clocked me as a Vamp, and he started following me. I tried to get outside so I could lose him again, but…”</p><p>“He caught you in the back hallway.”</p><p>Danny shrugged. “I underestimated him.”</p><p>“Well, can’t fault you there,” Valerie stretched, and stood up. “But still, I’m going to go back. And I’m going to be ready this time.”</p><p>“Are you kidding? He kicked both our asses.”</p><p>“He only got me because I thought I had to protect a civilian. A civilian that kept doing the opposite of what I told him and getting in the way.”</p><p>Danny shrugged, “Well, sorry, but,” Valerie’s tattoo reacted again, and at the same time, Danny shivered and looked toward the Dome. Valerie followed his gaze, and there, the skulker giant was standing in the shade at the very base of the outer wall. Before their eyes, and through the crowd spilling in and out of the Dome, he turned to a fine mist, and melted into the shadow.</p><p>“Great.” Valerie sighed.</p><p>“Well, that takes care of that for now.”</p><p>Valerie scoffed and glared at Danny, hands on hips. “How so? He’s still out there somewhere you idiot. And if he attacked you- another vampire- he may be trying to take over this campus if he sees it as your territory. We need to hunt him down, and make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone. Hell, for all we know he may be the one who killed that guy from earlier.” Danny looked at his watch, and turned to walk away. “Hey! I’m talking to you.”</p><p>“Yeah, and I said I still have one last mid-term. Now in a little over five minutes.”</p><p>“You really aren’t going to prioritize this?”</p><p>“Nope. Not til after I get through this organic chemistry exam. For the next hour, all I’m worrying about are NMR spectrographs and chemical nomenclature.</p><p>Valerie shook her head incredulously.  She stopped and turned to leave. “Unbelievable. Well, I’m going to go look for-.”</p><p>“No,” Danny caught Valerie by the arm. “Look… just the hour. Give me the hour to take this test, and then I’ll go with you. It’s dangerous to go alone.”</p><p>“I can handle myself.”</p><p>“Maybe. Against a normal vampire. But if this guy’s is the one who killed that person in the science building, you may not be able to take him.” Danny sighed as Valerie crossed her arms and reluctantly continued to walk beside Danny toward his classroom. “I did know the guy who died. He’s a TA for my friend’s class and a magic user. Like you. He knew how to protect himself from vampires.” Valerie felt a shiver go down her spine.</p><p>She glanced back toward the dome. She had a hard time getting her tattoo to track vampires when they turned to animals or mists. She didn’t really have a choice here. She didn’t have much to go on anyway.</p><p>“Danny…” She started.</p><p>“Look, I want to deal this as much as you do. I swear. There’s a coffee shop across from the building where I’ll be taking my test. Wait for me there.”</p><p>Valerie groaned. “Fine. See you in an hour.”</p><p>Danny looked relieved. He smiled as he backpedaled toward the building with a wave. Valerie gave her own half smile, and waved him off.</p><p>As soon as he was out of sight, Valerie moved away from the coffee shop back toward the main science building. She found her way back to the police line and found it deserted. She glanced up toward the security cameras, and realized their wires were hanging, disconnected from the rest of the system. Fat chance it caught the murderer then. She looked around, and then slipped under the line and into the room.</p><p>The first thing she noticed was a lack of blood. She was sure the detective had said it was a stabbing, but the room was clear of any bloodshed. There was evidence of a struggle, however. Overturned chairs, smashed tables, broken shelves and scattered books.</p><p>It wasn’t a large room to begin with. Five computers lined one wall, and two huge cabinets stood on either side of the door. They were built into the wall, and stretched from ceiling to floor. Valerie pulled gloves from her bag and picked through the room carefully. The police and crime scene investigators had been through already, sure, but they could always come back.</p><p>She could only hope the police didn’t take away anything she may need to track down the vampire responsible. As it was, Valerie raised her left hand, peeled back her glove for a moment and whispered, “Lumo en la mallumo.”</p><p>A green-blue light shimmered through the tattoo. “So, a vampire was <em>definitely </em>here recently,” She muttered. She replaced her glove. He hoped it wasn’t picking up on Danny. She dropped the spell and looked around more thoroughly. Flipping through the notebooks on the desk, Valerie found mostly half-graded lab books. Among them, however, she found one that was different. In the middle of the stack, it was annotated is strange places, and strangely, “This is more than one set of handwriting in the margin,” she whispered. One set likely belonged to whoever did the grading in the other notebooks. She flipped back and forth in the notebook a moment, and was unable make heads nor tales of most of the messages. She assumed it must be coded. She took the notebook and tucked it away in her bag. She’d have to try decoding it later.</p><p>Valerie continued to look around carefully. Near the door, she found what looked like a pendant. It was oddly shaped- like an x, and when Valerie held it up to the light, it was slightly translucient. Black in the shade, and red in the light.  Upon one end, there was a symbol she recognized. Two lines that ran parallel, another cutting through both diagonally and a circle at one end of the lines.  It was a magical symbol, she was sure, but she couldn’t remember exactly what it meant. She tucked this away also, and was startled by a noise just outside the door. Someone was outside, fumbling with the lock to get inside.</p><p>Valerie backed away from the door, looking around for an alternative exit. Seeing none, she quickly stood behind the door on the side with the hinges. She pulled the huge cabinet door open and stood behind it. When the door opened, it blocked her from view as the two doors made two walls around her.</p><p>The people who entered were both women. “Tsk… They left it unlocked. How irresponsible can you get? Look at this, and anyone can just walk in here.”</p><p>“Well, I mean, yeah, but they already went through it all, right? Maybe they don’t need to lock it up.”</p><p>“Nah, my uncle died and we weren’t allowed in his apartment for like a week while they were going through stuff. They had to make sure that every team had a chance to look at the scene undisturbed. It turned out he died of a heart attack, but it goes to show how seriously they take that stuff, you know?”</p><p>“Well, then why are we allowed in here? Shouldn’t we not… you know? We can just buy another centrifuge right? Why do we need this one? Its creepy standing where a dead body was just a couple hours ago.” The speaker dropped her voice to a whisper. “It’s gotta be like, bad luck, right?”</p><p>“Well, supposedly,” there was a pause, and Valerie could imagine her looking around before leaning in conspiratorially, “The dead kid is supposedly related to someone at city hall. Also, he hung out with some weirdos for sure. I heard some guys who work maintenance saying they wouldn’t be surprised if it was like, a drug deal gone south or something. And if that’s the case…” she trailed off. There was a tinkling of glass and a shuffling of papers. Then the cabinet door on the other side of the door opened.</p><p>“I can’t carry that. You do it.”</p><p>“No, that’s way too heavy. Let’s just take this stuff, and we can send Mike back.”</p><p>“So…” the girl hesitated. “what? You think it’s being covered up by this… whoever in government? Wouldn’t they want the opposite? If a relative of someone important was killed, you’d think campus would be crawling with cops trying to find out who did it.”</p><p>“Unless the details coming out would make it embarrassing.”</p><p>“That’s crazy.”</p><p>The women’s voices were fading. Valerie waited a moment after they left, then carefully crept out from her hiding spot. She slipped out the door, and watched the girls walking away. One blonde, one a redhead with an a-cut bob. Valerie stuffed her gloves back in her pocket as she tossed her hair and moved off in the opposite direction. She checked her watch. Danny would be out of class in about fifteen minutes. She made her way back to the coffee shop, and ordered a coffee for her wait and a drink for Danny when he got there. </p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ice Cream, Stir Fry, and Hot Chocolate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny and Valerie make plans to hunt down the giant Vampire, and Danny argues with his girlfriend Sam about all things Vampire taking up all his time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Danny finished his exam with half an hour to spare. He turned in his exam and left the classroom feeling exhausted. There had been a whole section where he’d just zoomed through, and the moment he’d turned it in he’d become fairly-confident he’d fucked it up. It didn’t help he was one of the first to finish despite considering himself just above average at the subject. He sighed as he slung his bag over his shoulder and traipsed toward the coffee shop. He looked out the glass doors and didn’t see Valerie. He supposed she’d changed her mind or gotten bored waiting for him. He hadn’t gotten her number to call and check so he supposed he’d have to wait around for the hour to pass and see if she came back.</p><p>His phone chirped as he pushed through the door. He checked his texts and saw his best friend, Tucker, had messaged asking if he was done with exams yet. He answered in the affirmative, and a moment later his phone was ringing. Danny sat on a stone bench and answered the call. “Yeah?”</p><p>“Dude, Sam just told me about Thomas.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Danny glanced left, and then right. “It was a vampire, Tuck. I didn’t see the body, obviously. By time I got there it was too late, but I didn’t smell enough blood for a stab wound.”</p><p>“So… he was already dead when he was stabbed or was killed somewhere else maybe? Or… something else?” Tucker sounded a little nauseous. </p><p>“Something else for sure.” Danny whispered, “I’m planning to come back tonight. I’m going to have to look in the room to see if I can get ahead of it. I already have let’s say a <em>giant</em> clue who the killer may be.”</p><p>“You do? Who?”</p><p>Danny shook his head. “I was attacked by a big ass Vampire earlier today. He was crazy strong and definitely targeted me.”</p><p>“What did he want?”</p><p>“Who knows. He kept calling me prey, but he knew I’m not fully human. First Thomas, then me? Can’t be a coincidence.”</p><p>“Oh, man. Thomas. What are you gonna do about him? Wasn’t he helping you with research? What are you gonna do now?”</p><p>“I’ll have to see if I can find the notes he had so far, and continue on my own. I was supposed to meet him this morning because he said he had something for me. It must have been important, because he was so careful about people not seeing us together. He didn’t want anyone to know we knew each other.”</p><p>“Why? Because you’re… you?”</p><p>“No, because he’s him. He was really private.” Danny thought about what Valerie has said. “What if she’s right?”</p><p>“Who? About what?”</p><p>“This girl I met. She helped me get away from the giant. She said that if he was skulking around waiting for me, that he was likely trying to take over what he sees as my territory.”</p><p>“Are vampires territorial like that? I always saw them more like cats. They hang out and whatever, but as long as everyone has food and no one is drawing attention they leave each other alone.”</p><p>“I don’t know about straight territory, but most I’ve met or heard of stick to a certain area, and they can get mad if they think someone is also feeding on people in it. I’ve been attacked before just entering the wrong neighborhood when a Vampire already lived there. Most of the time they back down when they realize I don’t feed on people, but I’ve had to stake a few or be hunted indefinitely.”</p><p>“Hmm… So who’s this girl?”</p><p>“Her name is Valerie. Seems like she’s a hunter. She knew her stuff for sure.” Danny remembered something. “She actually said she used to go to our school. Can you look up Valerie Gray and tell me what you find?”</p><p>“Gray?” Danny could hear tapping on Tucker’s end. He waited, watching the coffee shop. “Oh, <em>damn</em>.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Well, I found her Insta. Is she single, and more importantly, would she be interested in a 6’1” engineering major?”</p><p>“Oh, my god. I meant look for something useful.”</p><p>“So you’re telling me you don’t think she’s fine?”</p><p>As Danny groaned, Valerie emerged from the science building, and made her way to the café. He watched her stroll confidently to the shop and make her way to stand in line. “Look, I didn’t say that… I… She’s…” Tucker laughed. “I have a girlfriend! Quit trying to get me in trouble!”</p><p>Tucker laughed even harder. “You’re gonna get <em>yourself</em> in trouble.”</p><p>“Look, Sam and I have already been arguing a lot. Don’t tell her anything that’ll make it worse.”</p><p>“I won’t. I won’t. OH! Hey, Danny, I just got to work. I gotta go.”</p><p>“Yeah, bye.”</p><p>When Danny made it to the coffee shop, Valerie was already sipping her macchiato and scrolling through her phone. She looked up when Danny entered the shop. “What? You sensed me coming?” Danny asked, amused by her sudden movement.</p><p>“No,” She handed him a drink and ruffled his hair. “You’re pretty eye catching. I got you a hot chocolate. I didn’t know if you drink coffee.”</p><p>“Oh, sweet, thanks.” Danny sipped the drink and felt his insides warm. It was a welcome feeling after the cold outside.</p><p>Valerie nodded. She sat back in her chair and looked out the window. Danny wasn’t sure what to say. They needed to hunt down the giant, but he wasn’t sure where to start. He sipped his drink and was about to ask where she’d gone while he was in class when she spoke, “It’s getting darker earlier.”</p><p>Danny followed her gaze, and realized she had her eyes on the quickly lengthening shadows outside. “Yeah. Hard to believe it’s already almost Halloween.” He looked at Valerie. “So… you have any ideas for catching the Skulker?”</p><p>“Let’s start with what we know for sure,” Valerie said. She sipped her coffee and turned her focus on Danny. “The Skulker,” Valerie chuckled at the name. “he’s very strong, but he didn’t follow us out into direct sunlight. That means he was there at least since 10-ish, maybe earlier, since after that the Dome is surrounded by sunlight. Which means if he’s hunting you, he was just waiting, knowing you’d show up eventually.”</p><p>“Meaning he’s been following me a while. Hard to believe since he’s so big.”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “He can turn into mist and blend into shadows. Probably has a keen sense of smell. I’d say for now, our best bet is to go back to the dome tonight, and check it thoroughly, then see if we can pick up a trail.”</p><p>Danny sighed. “Right. Course it is.” He looked over toward the science building. “I also want to check out the room they found Thomas. If Skulker killed him, we may also find something there.”</p><p>Valerie paused, about to take another sip, and set down her drink. “I don’t think Skulker killed him.”</p><p>Danny was taken aback by this. “Why not?”</p><p>“I was just there. I assume you’ve been to that room also?” Danny nodded. “There’s not a lot of space in there. I can’t help but think there would have been more damage if Thomas fought back. There was a bunch of glass instruments untouched in the cabinets. Besides, the victim was stabbed. I assume to cover a bite. But look at this.” She pulled her hair away from her neck.</p><p>Danny looked, and saw a bite mark from a large mouth. He recoiled slightly. He knew it would heal quickly. It would be gone in a few days as all vampire bites, but it was still somewhat stomach turning to see that clear, otherwise pristine flesh marred. “Covering this would have taken more than a stab wound, right?”</p><p>“Okay, so… if Skulker is unrelated, what do you think happened to Thomas?”</p><p>“I can’t say for sure. I just don’t think it was Skulker.” She shrugged. “I did get this.” She went into her bag and pulled a notebook from it. “and this..” she presented a carved bit of stone. Danny accepted these and examined each in turn. Valerie watched him as he did so, perhaps waiting for signs of recognition.</p><p>Danny started with the stone first. He examined it from every angle. “What is it?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “Likely obsidian for one thing. A stone that protects from mischief, sharpens the mind.” She picked up her phone and showed Danny what she’d been looking at before he arrived. “As for the symbol, I’m pretty sure it’s this, or related to this symbol here. The closest translation I can find basically means lock. So, I’m pretty sure it’s a key.”</p><p>“That sounds reasonable. And what is this, then?” He leafed through the notebook. He recognized a lot of the labs notes in it as coming from labs he’d done in class so far. “Oh, it’s a key.”</p><p>“It’s also a key?”</p><p>“I mean an answer key. These are a bunch of the lab results for things we’ve done, and these are for labs we haven’t gotten to yet. This is the notebook teacher’s assistants use to grade our lab books.” Danny flipped to a lab he knew they had coming up, then back to the lab he’d done for midterm. He was happy to see his results matched. “<em>Yes</em>.”</p><p>“Okay…” Valerie reached across the table and flipped the page to another lab. She pointed at the margin. “This set of handwriting…”</p><p>“It’s Thomas’s I think.” Danny read over some of the notes. “Wait… so… ‘My heart to thee an answer makes, o long, slow whisper of the sea, whose charm of mournful music wakes, a dream, a memory. 57,2,6.” Danny thought hard. Then he shook his head. “No idea what that is. ‘it was deep and slow, and it knew that she was there. 16, 17, 8.’ No idea what that is either. What do you think?”</p><p>“Well, I assume it’s some kind of code, but I’ll have to spend more time looking through it trying to figure it out. I was hoping you may at least recognize the handwriting. So this one is Thomas. Who is the other one?”</p><p>Danny shrugged. “Another TA, maybe? If it’s a TA answer key. My girlfriend was a TA last semester. Usually one professor will have one or two TA’s and they share all their grading materials and stuff. I’ll ask my friend Tucker if he knows who the other TA for the class is.”</p><p>“Good idea.” Valerie looked at her phone as it vibrated. “I have to meet up with my dad. Let me get your number and then we can meet up after dinner.”</p><p>“Should we just wait until after the Dome closes?” Danny suggested as he keyed his number into her phone. “I can get us in, and if we do find the Skulker, I think it’ll be better if other people aren’t around.”</p><p>Valerie shrugged and got to her feet. “Sounds alright, I guess.” Valerie waved and walked away.</p><p>Danny finished his drink and started to head home. The Dome didn’t close until nearly 11pm, so he figured he’d meet up with Sam and go from there. He called her as he walked toward the student parking lot. The phone rang once, and Sam picked up. “Hey,” she sounded out of breath.</p><p>“Hey. What’re you doing?”</p><p>“Just coming back from a jog with my mom and grandma. Uh, what’s up?”</p><p>“Well, I hadn’t heard from you since lunch…”</p><p>“You mean since you dipped out on me?”</p><p>“Sam,” Danny said exasperatedly. Danny paused to fish his keys from his pocket. His car was a four-door model that was around 10 years old now. It was originally his sister Jazz’s. The car she drove all through high school. She’d purchased a new car when she’d gotten into grad school, and Danny had gotten good old Shelly as a hand me down. He sat in the driver’s seat and thunked his head on the steering wheel. When the car announced the Bluetooth connected, Danny started to pull out of the parking spot as he spoke, “Sam, I told you I was being followed. Turned out it was by a giant vampire. And he tried to kill me. And I’m fine, by the way.” Danny couldn’t hide the annoyance from his voice.</p><p>Sam didn’t respond for a moment.</p><p>“Sam?”</p><p>“Danny, I’m sorry that happened and I’m glad you’re okay.” She sighed.</p><p>“But?”</p><p>“But it’s the fifth time you’ve ducked out on me when we had plans.” Sam sounded frustrated. Danny heard a door slam on her end of the phone. She must have just gotten back to his apartment. She wasn’t fully moved in- she had her own place- but she was there almost every day.</p><p>“Fifth? No way…”</p><p>“It’s the fifth time, Danny. There was that thing with the professor, then you had to do a make-up lab, then you had to meet that guy that you say wants to only meet in secret. Last time it was that guy again, and now this.”</p><p>“Well…. Uh, I’m sorry. I am.”</p><p>“You always are, Danny but it keeps happening.”</p><p>“I am, but you have to admit, it’s not ever because of something unimportant, right?”</p><p>“More important than us, I guess.”</p><p>“Sam, that’s not fair! You know it’s not! You know what we’ve been trying to do, and need I repeat that I was almost killed today?” Sam was quiet again. Danny didn’t know what to say either. “Sam?”</p><p>“I get it, Danny. But I gotta say it feels real shitty that I’m the one who gets stood up and looks like an idiot sitting alone in cafes and restaurants and then I’m the one who’s wrong for being upset about it.”</p><p>“I… I didn’t say that you’re wrong, Sam.”</p><p>“No just that I shouldn’t be mad at you, right? You know earlier today the guy at the Nasty Burger gave me a free veggie burger because he thought you just broke up with me and he felt bad for me? You know how embarrassing that was?”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Sam.”</p><p>Sam sighed. “I’m going to hop in the shower. I’ll see you when you get home.”</p><p>Sam hung up, and Danny drove ten minutes in silence. When he pulled into the small lot of the modestly sized Victorian house and just idled a moment, wondering if he should keep driving and go hide out at Tucker’s place for a while. It had been divided and renovated by the owner into five apartments. Two per floor and the attic as its own studio apartment. Danny lived in a second-floor apartment that was accessible via a staircase attached to the outside of the house.</p><p>Danny sat in his car and stopped the engine. He sat back in his seat, dreading going inside. He didn’t want to argue anymore. Finally, he saw a light flick on and off in the bedroom and thought he should head in now, or risk Sam wondering where he’d gone. He took a deep breath, and heaved himself out of the car. He grabbed his bag from the back seat and took the stairs three at a time. He took one more deep breath, and went inside. The apartment was small, consisting of a small kitchen right off the foyer, a living room, and a single bedroom with attached bathroom.</p><p>Sam was standing in the kitchen, stirring something on the stove. “Stir fry?” Danny inquired. Sam was wearing her pajamas already. She was wearing a tank top and short gym shorts and a pair of slippers. Her hair was pulled into two ponytails and her “v” cut bangs were clipped back from her face. He stripped his hoodie and stood next to her.</p><p>“Yeah. Gotta use these veggies up before they go bad.”</p><p>“Yeah, good idea.” Danny caught a whiff of something extremely enticing. He licked his lips and felt his canines growing in his mouth. “You cut yourself,” he took a step back from her.</p><p>“Just a nick. Are you okay?”</p><p>“Just give me a second.” Danny closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He ran his tongue over his teeth after a moment, and was relieved to find they’d shrunk back into place. “It’s getting worse. Every damn day. Going outside in the sun is harder. More and more white hair and… and it’s getting harder and harder… to resist when I’m <em>hungry</em>. ”</p><p>“It didn’t even bleed all that much.”</p><p>“I hate this, Sam.”</p><p>Sam paused in her cooking, and turned to Danny. She stood on tip toe and planted a small kiss beside his mouth, then returned to the stir fry. “I know you do.” Danny moved behind Sam when she returned to the stove and hesitantly placed his hands on her hips. She didn’t move away, so he planted a kiss on her cheek. Sam turned around and placed her hands on his shoulders. She looked up sadly into his face, then rested her head on his chest. “I hate arguing.”</p><p>“Yeah. Me too.”</p><p>Sam pulled away gently, and turned to take the stir fry off the burner. Danny reached over her and pulled plates down from the cabinet, then as she plated the food, he grabbed forks from a drawer behind them. Sam hopped up on a counter, and Danny leaned on the one opposite, and they ate there in the kitchen. Conversation lightened for a while. “Did you hear back from Professor Baxter?” Danny asked.</p><p>“Yeah, I got an email from her about the internship… They may be expanding the position, so I’d have more to do.”</p><p>Danny looked at the clock. Just about six. “I have to go out tonight.”</p><p>“I don’t know. I’m kind of feeling like staying in and maybe watching a movie.”</p><p>“No, I mean… that Vamp that almost killed me earlier is still out there. There’s this girl, Valerie, that helped me get away from him. She’s a hunter. She and I are going to go back tonight after the Dome is closed and see if we can track him down.”</p><p>Sam finished the last bite of her stir fry and hopped down from the counter and washed her plate. Then she moved from the kitchen to the small living room and sunk down on the sofa.</p><p>“Sam?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Aaaare you going to say anything?” Danny rinsed his plate also and moved to stand behind her. Sam shook her head.</p><p>“Are you going to stay here if I do?”</p><p>Danny sighed now. “No. No, Sam. I’m not going to ignore the aggressive vampire on campus.”</p><p>“No, and you shouldn’t. And I don’t want to be selfish and ask you to, so…” Sam shrugged. “So what is there to say?”</p><p>Danny stepped over the back of the sofa and sat down next to Sam. “Sam, I… I know you’ve sacrificed so much for me. This is why I was working with that guy, you know. This is why it was so important. I don’t want this to be the rest of our lives.” He reached for Sam, and she grabbed a pillow to hug to her chest. He let his hand fall and dropped his head against the back of the couch. “This is why I want to be human again.”</p><p>Sam leaned against his shoulder. “I know.” She hesitated. “But, really,”</p><p>“Oh my god, Sam, not this again.”</p><p>“I’m just saying, Danny, do you really need to turn your life into a rolling, raging dumpster fire picking up speed trying to turn human, or does it make more sense to stop fighting it…and… and just make the best of it?”</p><p>Danny stood up, and Sam grabbed his hand to stop him stalking away. “Stop fighting? Stop fighting my urge to drink human blood?”</p><p>Sam tried to pull him back down, and he didn’t budge. “I mean, maybe? I don’t know, Danny. There have to be ways around the killing part, like blood bags or something? But…”</p><p>“But what? Sam, it’s the <em>feeding on humans</em> part I’m not okay with.”</p><p>“But you’re fine the way you are.”</p><p>Danny scoffed and shook his head. “I don’t want to be a monster, Sam. I won’t do anything that risks crossing a line. I’ve never drank human blood and I never will. End of story. If it comes to that, I’d rather just go sunbathing in the Sahara and be done…”</p><p>“Don’t say things like that!” Sam jumped to her feet also. Guilt struck Danny, and he took a steadying breath. He hadn’t realized he’d been working himself up. “Don’t say that.”</p><p>Danny pulled back. “I’m… I’m going to take a shower. Then… how about we go get ice cream before I have to go out?”</p><p>Sam smiled. “Yeah, that sounds good. The place near campus has some good vegan ice cream now. The place near to that bookstore.”</p><p>“Cool. I’m getting cookies and cream, though.”</p><p>Danny went off to the shower. He stripped his shirt and looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were green now, but he was sure only minutes ago they were red. When they were red his vision was sharper, more attuned to the movements of those around him. To his potential prey. He was faster, stronger. And he hated it.</p><p>His eyes used to be blue. Like his sister’s. His hair used to be black, like his father’s. Every day he felt his resemblance to his family fade. He stepped away from the mirror and under the hot water, and he stood there until his skin was flushed and the darker thoughts were chased away to the back of his mind.</p><p>When Danny returned to the bedroom, Sam had set out boxers, sweatpants and a hoodie for him. He dressed quickly and returned to the living room to find Sam re-watching a highlight reel from a metal concert. She switched off the TV, tugged on her or Amity high beanie and offered Danny a small smile as he grabbed the car keys and they headed back out into the cold night air.</p><p>They parallel parked in front of Kitty’s Ice Cream Parlor to find it surprisingly empty. The space inside wasn’t too large, but many students frequented the shop and it wasn’t unusual for a line to form out the door. There were six tables arranged around the dining room with the service counter at the back. The counter stretched the entire back wall. There was a glass sneeze guard that ran the length of the counter and behind it, were two rows of homemade ice cream and toppings in jars. There was one other couple inside, as well as a father with his two kids. The owners of the shop, a couple in their early thirties were wiping things down behind the counter while they gossiped in low voices.</p><p>Danny and Sam approached the counter and Danny couldn’t help but hear their conversation as they waited.</p><p>“It’s scary.” The woman said. “I’m seriously freaking out, Johnny. A murder?”</p><p>“It was on campus, and police think the kid and the killer knew each other. Probably we won’t even hear about it again. Kitten, we got customers.” Danny glanced at Sam. She was looking up at the menu. She probably couldn’t hear what was being said.</p><p>Sam got her vegan vanilla, and Danny got his cookies and cream, and they took their cones to go. They wandered the shops close by while they ate. Danny finished his first and wrapped his arm around Sam’s shoulders while she ate. Sam was making conversation about little trinkets in the shops while Danny was thinking about Thomas, the giant Vampire, and Valerie.</p><p>Sam tossed her napkin in a recycling bin as they left a store that sold crystals, carved statuettes and candles, and bumped Danny’s hip with hers. “Hey. You seem pretty distracted.”</p><p>Danny looked at her, and then shrugged. “I am.” Sam stopped him walking on the sidewalk, then took him by the hand and led him to a bench. He sat and she sat beside him.</p><p>“What’s got you so riled up?”</p><p>“Everything. Everything, Sam.” Danny sunk down on the bench, and let his head drop back against the bench. He watched his breath fog up and curl into the sky.</p><p>“What do you mean, Danny?”</p><p>“Thomas… wasn’t just some vampire attack. He was the one I was meeting with those times. He was helping me research… a way to become human again.”</p><p>“Danny…”</p><p>“He had something important to tell me, he said. And then he died. Then this giant Vamp appears and tried to kill me. Valerie doesn’t think the giant killed Thomas, but it has to be connected! Right?” Danny ran his hands through his hair, and stood from the bench. He started pacing. “Am I wrong, Sam?”</p><p>“I mean, probably not, Danny.” Sam stood also, and glanced around before reaching out to put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. He slipped away without noticing her hand there and continued to pace. “There haven’t been any other vampire killings in Amity since you were turned, right?”</p><p>“That I know of. But yeah. Right.”</p><p>“Right. So, like 9-10 years ago. Doesn’t mean there are no Vampires here. Just no killings. So why don’t you start by asking around to some of the others you know of… maybe see if any of them know anything?”</p><p>“Most Vampires don’t like someone busting into their territory demanding answers. Hell, I wouldn’t.”</p><p>“But a killing attracts attention, and attention attracts hunters, both amateur and professional, and that puts all of you in danger. Maybe if you frame it like you’re trying to solve a problem for all of you, they’ll be willing to help.”</p><p>Danny finally stopped pacing. “Yeah… maybe. But I only know of one Vampire in town. Dora, the secretary over at city hall, and if there are others… I’m not sure how to find them. I sense or smell them from time to time so I know they’re in town somewhere- maybe just passing through-, but it’s never for very long before it vanishes.”</p><p>“So, start with Dora. Maybe she’ll have some answers for you or at least be able to tell you who does.”</p><p>“And here I was hoping <em>you</em> would have some answers for <em>me</em>.” Danny and Sam whipped around, and Danny smiled.</p><p>“Valerie.”</p><p>Valerie was wearing a thicker coat than earlier. She smiled at Danny, then directed her attention toward Sam. “You must be the girlfriend. I’m Valerie.”</p><p>Sam shook Valerie’s hand. “Sam. Danny said you saved him earlier. Thank you.”</p><p>Valerie nodded. She looked at Sam a long moment, then said to Danny, “She’s fully human.”</p><p>“Excuse me?” Sam asked.</p><p>“Yeah, she is. What were you expecting?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “I dunno.”</p><p>Sam crossed her arms. “Well, what are you doing here?” Danny nudged her with his elbow. That tone almost always proceeded a fight.</p><p>Valerie seemed amused, but answered politely, much to Danny’s relief. “I’m just here by coincidence. Feel free to continue your date. We can still meet up later.” Valerie started to walk away and it was then Danny realized: he could barely hear her. He could normally pick out whispered conversations across a room, and even a specific heartbeat in a hospital if he listened carefully enough, especially when he was craving blood badly, like he had lately. The sound of Valerie’s heartbeat was absent. The sound of her movements were also muted; from the click of her heeled boots to the whisper of her windbreaker, everything was near silent. He wondered if it had to do with skills she’d honed as a hunter, or if it was some other spell like in her tattoo.</p><p>Danny pulled away from Sam for a moment and grabbed Valerie’s arm. “Wait. What did you mean, you hoped I had answers?”</p><p>“We…” Valerie cut her eyes to Sam before she smiled again. “We can talk about it later.”</p><p>“There’s nothing you tell Danny that you can’t tell me.” Sam said irritably.</p><p>Valerie’s smile faded, and she raised an eyebrow at Sam. She looked Sam up and down. Danny saw conflict coming, and interjected, “It’s fine, Val,” Valerie turned back from Sam. “You can ask me here. She knows everything.”</p><p>Valerie tucked her hair behind her ear, and pulled her personal notebook her pouch. “What were the ones we looked at earlier? ‘My heart to thee an answer makes, o long, slow whisper of the sea, whose charm of mournful music wakes, a dream, a memory.’  And the other one was ‘it was deep and slow, and it knew that she was there.’”</p><p>“Yeah. From the notebook.” Danny stepped closer to look at what Valerie had written there. She had written some notes in a surprisingly girlish handwriting. Danny stifled a laugh at a little doodle of ghosts and pumpkins in the margin, and the little hearts over the I’s. Valerie clicked her tongue.</p><p>“Shut up.”</p><p>Danny shrugged. “It’s cute.”</p><p>Sam looped her arm through Danny’s and looked over his shoulder. “What are those?”</p><p>“They were written in a notebook Val found where Thomas died. We think it’s a code for something.”</p><p> “Well,” Valerie said, “I was able to figure out that these are from books. This first one is most of a poem, so unfortunately you can find it in a few books so I’ll have to narrow it down, and this one is from a kids book, Coraline.”</p><p>“How did you figure that out?”</p><p>Valerie smiled and held up her phone. “Internet: it can do amazing things these days.”</p><p>“Duh,” Sam rolled her eyes.</p><p>“Hey,” Danny said plaintively, “Well, then how can I help if google has you covered?”</p><p>“I’m guessing that the numbers are referring to page, line, word. If that’s so, then either this is a really long message built one word at a time, or it’s yet a different kind of key. The actual message must be somewhere else and this is just telling us how to find it or break the code on it. I’m hoping the code or even the decoded messages themselves would be maybe somewhere in his email, and I was hoping you maybe had a way to get into it.”</p><p>“Why the email?” Sam asked. “It could be in another notebook or hidden around campus or something.”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “You could be right. I’m honestly just guessing. He met Danny around his TA sessions. They used the TA grading books to transfer this part of the code. I’m really just hoping he just did everything that way- within plain sight in his normal routine.”</p><p>“Well, He wasn’t actually my TA. I met him through my friend Tucker. I can ask him.”</p><p>“Great. In the meantime, I’m going to see if I can maybe find the books he used. His geotags on his social media put him here, or at least in the area. There’s only one place here to get books.”</p><p>Danny glanced back toward the ice cream shop, and the bookstore next door. “So you’re going to try to find the books he might have used?”</p><p>“Best guess I have right now. Unless you have any suggestions.”</p><p>“Nope.” Danny looked at his watch. “But it’s already 8:15. The owner closes up shop at 8.</p><p>“Aw, man. Are you serious?” Valerie tapped her foot and crossed her arms. “Tomorrow then, I guess.”</p><p>“I’ll go with you. I’ll check if Tucker can meet us there and we can talk to him about the email account.”</p><p>Valerie started to respond, then she paused, and looked at her tattooed hand. Danny looked also. “What’s it mean?”</p><p>“What?” Sam asked.</p><p>Danny looked at Sam in surprise.</p><p>“She can’t see it,” Valerie said.</p><p>“Oh,” He turned to Sam. “Her tattoo is made with some kind of magical ink. It tells her when Vampires are near and lets her do magic.”</p><p>“Right now, it’s silver. It’s telling me magic is active nearby.”</p><p>The light faded, and Valerie looked at her hand a moment longer before she placed her hands on her hips and sighing. “Well, if the bookstore is closed, I guess I’ll just try to catch a nap before tonight. Later, Danny. It was nice to meet you, Sam.”</p><p>Danny smiled. “Yeah. Meet on the north side of the dome?”</p><p>“Sure.” </p><p>Valerie left, and as soon as she was out of sight, around a corner where she had presumably parked, Sam pulled away from Danny. “What the hell was that?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“If you’re going to cheat on me you could at least have the decency to pretend you-”</p><p>“Woah! Woah! What the hell are you talking about, Sam!? I just met Valerie today! Remember? I told you I almost fucking died? The only reason I didn’t is because she saved my ass.”</p><p>“Yeah, you said.”</p><p>“And yet it feels like maybe not as big a deal as it should be.”</p><p>“You’re a Vampire, Danny. I’ve seen some of that you can do! You’re not as fragile as you think you are.”</p><p>Danny scoffed. “I’m not as indestructible as you seem to think I am. Sam, I’m not exaggerating. I almost died. How many times do I have to say it before you take it seriously?”</p><p>Sam shook her head. “I do take it seriously, Danny. But putting that aside….”</p><p>“Putting my near-death experience aside?”</p><p>“I… shouldn’t have said it like that, Danny, but you know what I mean. Urgh, I sound like a crazy jealous bitch.”</p><p>“No you-“</p><p>“Don’t lie.”</p><p>“Okay, maybe a little. But I get it. I’m sorry I’ve made you feel lonely. I’ll do my best to, uh, make sure I don’t cancel on you and… and spend more time with you. Alright?”</p><p>Sam looked up at Danny with a watery smile. “Yeah. Alright.” Danny folded Sam into a warm hug, and tugged up her beanie just enough to kiss her forehead. After a moment, Sam pulled away, and took Danny’s hand. They walked the street mostly in silence. Though by time they got back to Danny’s, conversation had returned mostly to normal, a pit remained in Danny’s stomach. As he said goodnight to Sam, and pulled his hoodie on one more time to head toward the Dome, he was relieved that the tension didn’t flair again, and supposed he was worried over nothing.</p><p>Hopefully he and Valerie would find Skulker before long, and things would settle down further. Danny had already decided he would have to find the Vampire who had killed Thomas. Somehow, he knew- his gut was telling him- finding Skulker and finding the killer would go hand in hand even if they were different people. He needed to find out what the massage was that Thomas had intended to tell him. He needed to get back to normal so he could have a normal life with Sam.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Breaking in</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny and Valerie investigate the Dome where they fought the giant Vampire, looking for clues</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Valerie dressed for her night out Vampire hunting in her room at her father’s house. He’d gone out for a night with his girlfriend about an hour before. “Have fun,” she’d told him as he’d kissed her cheek. “Don’t let him go too crazy, I won’t be the one taking care of him when he breaks a hip.” She said to his girlfriend.</p><p>“Hey! I still got moves!” He started doing the cabbage patch and both women laughed at him. She was a kind woman, about 10 years his junior at 39, and she seemed determined to make a good impression on Valerie while she was here. She was succeeding so far.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt himself too badly.” Valerie waved them off at the door, then hopped in the shower.</p><p>Now, Valerie pulled a locked suitcase from under her bed. Outside it was normal, pink and silver, and covered with stickers and a hand-drawn heart from her father. Inside was an assortment to tools and things to do with her search. A relatively large silver cross, knives- both large and small, a small box of chalk, bottles of various herbs and holy water, and a gun with a box of silver bullets. She didn’t carry the gun often, as it was noticeable and her father disapproved, but she added it to her belt tonight with several other of her tools. As always, she hoped she wouldn’t have to use it- not least because it was loud and attracted attention.</p><p>There were several notebooks stuffed full with information she’d gathered over time as well. Sketches of Vampires she’d come across, photos of known haunting/hunting grounds, notes akin to the ones she was compiling now, that she would use to track down the Vampire that had killed Thomas. She’d collected these things over the last few years, and the case traveled with her as she came to visit. She locked the case again after selecting a few tools for her belt. Small knife, the gun, vials of holy water, her notebook and pen, and her phone.</p><p>Her phone chirped as she was heading out the door. It was Danny, offering to pick her up. She was about to refuse when a second text rolled in. “I’ll bring Starbucks” with a tea emoji and an angel emoji. She smiled bemusedly, and replied, “Oh, my hero” She sent him her address and added a light jacket and scarf to her outfit, then set her phone down in her bed before she moved out to the curb to wait.</p><p>He pulled up in and older car than she had expected, and as promised, he had a warm drink waiting for her in the center console. She buckled in, and took a sip from warm tea.  She sighed, “Oh, thank you Jesus.” Danny smiled. Valerie looked at him. “And you. Thank you too, I guess.”</p><p>Danny laughed. “Well, you’re very welcome, I guess.” He glanced sideways at her tool belt. “I feel under dressed.”</p><p>“You have claws, fangs, and super strength.” Valerie shrugged. “If it makes you feel better, you can carry the knife.” Valerie drew the weapon and offered it to Danny as he stopped at a red light.</p><p>“No, I’m good. I’ve never used a weapon like that.” Valerie smiled, shrugged and put the knife away. “So… I saw two cars out front. You live with your Dad? Does he know you’re going out Vampire hunting?”</p><p>“No. I’m just home visiting. The grey car is mine. Dad is out on a date. I live in the next town over. This is still pretty out of the way. Thanks for the ride.”</p><p>“No problem. You don’t go to Amity?”</p><p>“Nah, I’m going to school online.”</p><p>“Oh. Major?”</p><p>“Just business. I figure Vampire hunting is easier if I have a job I can do from home and a business degree is pretty general. You?”</p><p>“Biochem. Hopefully I can get in a research lab somewhere, but I would love to work for NASA.” </p><p>“That’s a crazy high goal.”</p><p>“Yeah. Every year they get tons of applicants and only a tiny fraction get through. So… you know… it’s more of a pipe dream than anything. My chances are for sure better if I’m not looking over my shoulder for Vampires and Vampire hunters.”</p><p>Danny suddenly looked tense. Silence fell between them in the car as Valerie found herself not knowing what to say. Valerie’s dad lived a way from Amity campus. Danny got on the freeway and reached for the radio.</p><p>“You mind?” Danny asked.</p><p>“Not at all.” To Valerie’s surprise, he settled on a talk show. She didn’t recognize any of the names of the speakers, but they were discussing new developments in science and technology. Danny was nodding along and reacting to the talk with interest.</p><p>As they entered campus, Danny caught Valerie’s eye. “What?”</p><p>Valerie smiled. “You a huge nerd, huh?”   </p><p>“What? Why?” Danny sounded defensive but a smile was tugging at his lips. He pulled into the student parking lot, and parked in the back, furthest from any of the lights in the lot.</p><p>“I think you know why.” Danny smiled and shook his head as he got out of the car, while on his phone. He seemed to notice his questioning look and held it up for her to see.</p><p>“Gotta let Sam know I’m here.”</p><p>Valerie found it odd that he kept his girlfriend updated on the status of his pending B and E. They made their way to the dome, sticking to the shadowy parts of the walkways. Valerie adjusted her jacket over the gun. Weapons weren’t allowed on campus, and she didn’t want to risk having to explain herself to campus security. </p><p>As they came toward the dome, Valerie and Danny slowed. “I forgot to ask how exactly you plan to get us inside.” Suddenly Danny smiled coyly. Valerie quirked an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”</p><p>“Course not. Just… Don’t judge me.”</p><p>“Um, Okay?”</p><p>Valerie followed Danny around the side of the Dome behind a tall hedge. They were totally in shadow. Valerie looked around and saw no obvious way in. Danny crouched and jumped. Valerie gasped as he reached the second floor easily. He caught the ledge, glanced around- he was still concealed behind the tops of the trees and hedges- and pulled aside the screen on the window. Valerie watched him disappear into the building and felt mildly impressed.</p><p>After a moment, the security door beside Valerie opened, and Danny whispered, “Val, come on.”</p><p>Valerie moved inside, and Danny shut and relocked the door behind her. “How did you know it was open?”</p><p>Danny smiled sheepishly as they headed up the stairs toward the landing where they’d fought Skulker before. “The Dome had better wi-fi than my dorm freshman year, so I used to sneak in here with Tucker to game in one of the supply closets.  No one ever found out, so no one ever fixed it.” He shrugged.</p><p>“Danny the criminal,” Valerie teased. “Never would have thought.”</p><p>“I said not to judge me.”</p><p>“And I didn’t promise you I wouldn’t.” They both chuckled.</p><p>They entered the hall, Danny flipped the light switch, and the first thing they saw was that it’d been cleared out since they’d fought Skulker. In the empty area, Valerie and Danny looked around. Valerie whispered a spell, and her tattoo didn’t react. “No vampires have been here since we were.”</p><p>“No trail?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged and dropped her hand to her side. “It was always a long shot." She knelt near where Danny had fallen earlier. There was a small stain there. “Were you injured earlier?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’d say so.”</p><p>“So, this is your blood.”</p><p>“Probably."Danny looked at it over her shoulder and shuddered. "It’s mostly gone already, but I got a bad scrape down my back before you got here earlier.”</p><p>“Alright.” Valerie looked passed the spot with the stain. “Then he was over here.” Valerie scanned the floor carefully, while Danny looked around in the other direction. Whoever had cleaned up after their tussle earlier- probably a member of Amity U’s janitorial staff- had taken the cleaning cart, the supplies that had been stacked nearby, and done a very light bit of sweeping. Valerie took a moment to tie her hair back, then got down on all fours to look under the shelf that no stood empty. Something shiny caught her eye. She reached for it and couldn’t get far enough back. Suddenly, the heavy shelf was lifted, and Valerie jumped. She looked around, and Danny smiled at her.  “Sorry. Just trying to help.”</p><p>He pushed the shelf aside, and Valerie picked up the round metal piece. “Oh, damn.”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Look at this.”</p><p>Valerie handed Danny the metal piece, got to her feet and watched him examine it. “It’s the same symbol from the obsidian thing.” Danny said. “So this and that <em>are </em>connected.”</p><p>“Yeah I guess so. I still doubt that Skulker was the Vamp that killed Thomas specifically, but I guess at this point since we can’t pick up a trail her, it would make sense to focus on Thomas. I assume we’ll find Skulker in the process.”</p><p>Danny seemed somewhat relieved. There was a noise behind them, and They both whipped toward the door. Valerie glanced at her tattoo. Not a Vampire, but she reached under her jacket, gripping the handle of her knife anyway.  Danny took a sidestep in front of her, head turned slightly, listening. “It’s the night guard,” Danny whispered.  </p><p>Valerie pulled her jacket further over her weapons. “What do we do?”</p><p>“Shh.” Danny pulled Valerie back behind the shelf. “They never go that far back.” He gently pulled her hair away from her neck. She flinched and looked up at him. He blushed, and grimaced. “Your hair was poofing.”</p><p>“Poofing?”</p><p>At that moment, the guard opened the door that led to their little area. Danny pulled Valerie close to him and grimaced a silent apology at her as footsteps approached their location. The footsteps drew closer, and closer, until they were just on the other end of the bookshelf. Danny and Valerie held their breath, staring at each other. Valerie slowly held up her hand, ready with the words for a binding spell in case they need a quick escape. Danny grabbed her wrist and shook his head vigorously. She quirked her eyebrow back. What did he want her to do if they were caught then?</p><p>Luckily, they were spared the trouble when the guard finally turned and walked away. Danny let out a breath he’d been holding, and Valerie sighed with relief. The light clicked off, and the door shut. Valerie leaned ever so slightly around the corner, and Danny gripped her shoulder and pulled her back to his chest.</p><p>He held a finger to his lips, then another to his ear. “He’s still there. He’s telling someone on the radio that he thinks the building his haunted.” Valerie covered her mouth to hold back a laugh. Danny relaxed his grip after a moment. Valerie followed him as he crept toward the door.</p><p>“We gotta go. He’s gonna go look at security feed. I happen to know those cameras are old and only display a live feed. They can’t record, but we got to get out of here before he gets back to the camera room.”</p><p>“More inside knowledge from your days of undercover gaming?”</p><p>“We may or may not be the primary reasons they don’t record anymore.”</p><p>“Wow. The game was that important?”</p><p>“90,000%. Let’s go.” Danny opened the door just as, far away in another part of the building, a different door slammed shut. Danny seemingly vanished from Valerie’s side, and by time she’d sprinted to the stairs, Danny was already holding open the door on the ground floor, waving her down.</p><p>“Fucking… not all of us have super speed, jackass. Don’t wave me down like I’m dragging ass.” Valerie hissed as she passed him.</p><p>Danny chuckled. “Sorry.”</p><p>Valerie rolled her eyes. She paused once they reached the edge of the parking lot, and bent over, clutching the stitch in her side. Danny was on his phone, presumably texting his girlfriend another update. Valerie sat down on the curb and sat back. She pulled the piece of metal from her pocket and examined it again. On closer inspection, she could see it was a metal spiral. The inside of the spiral was hollow. Valerie reached into her pocket and retrieved the stone.</p><p>Comparing the two, they were around the same size. Danny sat beside her and leaned over to look as well. “Looks like the stone might fit inside the metal? Maybe they’re part of the same piece?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “Maybe? I’ll get a better look in the light later.”</p><p>Danny looked over his shoulder, back toward the path that lead to the science building. “I want to go back to the room where Thomas died.”</p><p>“Will we be able to get in so late?”</p><p>“Probably. Students have lab projects that have to be checked on at all hours of the day and night. Not all the rooms will be unlocked, but the building should be open.”</p><p>“Doesn’t that mean people will be in the building? How are we going to explain why we’re there if we run into someone?”</p><p>Danny smiled and reached into his back pocket. Valerie stood up again, patting off her jeans. To her surprise, Danny pulled a flash drive from his pocket and her it up with a proud smile. “Guess.”</p><p>Valerie looked from him to the drive and back again. What? Was he going to movie-hack their way through the building? “I… I give. What’s this?”</p><p>“Our excuse. The room across from the crime scene is the only place on campus you can print a large poster sized image. So we go in, and if anyone comes by, we tell them I’m going to print another copy of the poster I printed last week, because he professor asked to keep it in exchange for extra credit I desperately need to get a B, and I already tossed mine. Which, as a cover story, has the added benefit of being absolutely, soul crushingly true.”</p><p>“Ah. Makes sense.”</p><p>Indeed as Danny had predicted, the building was open. The crime scene tape was still in place, but hung loose and ripped in places, telling Valerie students had started ducking under or over it and disregarding the barrier. Danny and Valerie followed suit, and Valerie glanced toward the room as Danny moved toward the self-serve for the printer. The room was just as small as the computer lab across the hall. This one was occupied by the self-serve station- a touch screen monitor, a large metal stand containing several cardboard tubes and rubber bands that would hold printed posters, and the huge printing equipment behind a cage of sorts- Valerie assumed so students couldn’t mess with the settings.</p><p>No one was in the room across the hall. The staircase beside it was dark. Suddenly, there was a humming in Valerie’s hand. She glanced down at it then turned quickly to face the direction it indicated. She drew her knife with one hand, and placed her hand on the handle of her gun with the other.</p><p>“What’s are you doing?” Danny hissed.</p><p>Valerie looked over he shoulder, and held up her knife wielding hand so he could see the tattoo shining form himself. “Vampire.” She whispered.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. October Rain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Valerie gets an up close look into a Vampire's eyes and Sam has something important to say to Danny</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: this chapter contains a period joke. I thought it was pretty funny so I left it in, but I understand if some people think it's a bit much lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Danny looked around, dread in his stomach. He hadn’t smelt anything. He hadn’t sensed anything. He looked around, heart pounding. Where? Where was it? He listened with all his might for any sign. He strained his eyes trying to see through the shadows in the partially lit hall. Then suddenly, he snapped his attention to the top of the stairs.</p><p>There. Just out of sight, he was sure. He knew his eyes had gone red as he became very aware of his every movement becoming more fluid, and silent. His focus locked on the entity out of sight, he moved slightly to stand in front of Valerie.</p><p>He glanced at her, and saw that she was deathly still. Her body tense, wound, ready to move at any moment. He could hear her heartbeat more clearly now, and it was steady as her hands. She glanced at him also, and tilted her head toward the staircase with her eyebrows raised. Danny nodded, and whispered, “It’s not Skulker. He’s taller. But not as built.” Danny renewed his focus, trying to draw as much as he could sense from the figure he could not see. Almost desperately, he willed himself to glean just a little more information.</p><p>Suddenly, there was a laugh somewhere in another part of the building. Danny was distracted, and so it seemed was the Vampire hiding from them. It moved suddenly and rapidly, back up the stairs. Valerie took off with an almost inhuman speed all her own, and was up the stairs and out of sight before Danny started to move.</p><p>Danny caught up to her in mere seconds, and found her aiming her gun down a hallway just as a long shadowy figure swept through the window at the other end and soared away. Valerie cursed under her breath, and tucked the gun away again as she approached the window to look out. Danny followed her to the window. “Gone.” Valerie said with a sigh. Danny looked out, and saw nothing. Trees rustled. Danny scanned the area a moment longer, but every movement he caught was a small animal in a tree and one cat slinking from car to car in the lot.</p><p>“Damn it.” Danny started to turn back, and found Valerie staring up at him. It was only now he realized he’d boxed her in between the window and himself. “Sorry.” He let go of the window sill and backed off several steps. She continued to watch him curiously.</p><p>“It’s strange when your eyes are red. I’ve never seen it this close before. Well, not without fangs snapping at me.” She moved close to him, and started to reach up. Then she paused. “Do you mind?”</p><p>Danny shook his head. He leaned down a little as she took his cheeks in her hands. He was painfully aware of her pulse and his proximity to her throat, and swallowed nervously. She looked into his face, her expression curious and a little amused. She tilted her head ever so slightly and he focused on her neck- the heartbeat driving the pulse beneath her skin. He felt his fangs pushing against his gums and jerked back from her, closing his eyes.</p><p>“Sorry. Give me a second.”</p><p>Valerie nodded. “It’s okay. Sorry. I don’t realize… is it always like that?”</p><p>Danny swallowed. He shook his head. “Not always, but it’s been getting worse. I feel like my throat is always dry, and even a whiff of blood gets me to a point near losing control.”</p><p>Valerie snickered.</p><p>“What’s funny about that?” Danny demanded. He wasn’t sure what could possibly be funny about him turning into an insatiable monster at any moment.</p><p>“Even a whiff huh?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Don’t you, uh, live with your girlfriend? What about when she’s, uh…”</p><p>Danny suddenly realized what she was asking and had to stifle his own laugh all of a sudden. “Okay, don’t be gross.”</p><p>“It’s a valid question.” She shrugged and they started to move toward the stairs.</p><p>Danny wrinkled his nose. “The answer is no.”</p><p>“To what? Do you live with your girlfriend or do you crave her-”</p><p>“Don’t you dare finish that sentence. And to both. Pregnant ladies also don’t appeal either, now I think about it.”</p><p>“Good to know, actually. So, Vampires at lease have respect for a lady’s privacy.”</p><p>Danny grimaced. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.”</p><p>“Hey, hey, hey, This is just a perfectly mature conversation between two adults discussing relevant- if gross- information to your situation. Like when you go to the doctor asking about your sexual history.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s the same.”</p><p>“No, shut up, it is.”</p><p>Danny was thoroughly grossed out, but also strangely felt a little better about his craving. Maybe it could really be worse. They made it back downstairs to find that Danny’s poster had not printed. He sighed and started the process to set up the print over again. When the machine started up, Danny checked to make sure no one was around or close by, then moved after Valerie under the crime scene tape.</p><p>She was murmuring spells, and looked concerned as she watched her tattoo shift colors. “I think that Vampire was here before us.”</p><p>“Any idea what he may have wanted, Val?”</p><p>Valerie shrugged. “None.”</p><p>They carefully moved through the room, looking through every bit of the room they could get to. Valerie was also looking for signs that things were different to before. She saw nothing.</p><p>They returned to the printer just as Danny’s poster finished printing. He rolled it up and secured it with rubber bands. Danny retrieved his flash drive and they exited the building.</p><p>In the car, Valerie claimed the radio before Danny had the chance, and tuned into a hip hop and R&amp;B station. She sang along loudly, dancing in her seat and poking Danny in the side and cheek until he was laughing and singing along too. She applauded after he flawlessly performed the chorus of a rap song.</p><p>“Oh, shit, nerd can rap!”</p><p>Danny laughed. “Not well.”</p><p>She patted his shoulder. “No, but it’s an A for effort.”</p><p>Danny was still smiling as he pulled up to the curb beside her place. Valerie looked out, a little more subdued. “Shit, Dad’s home.” She quickly pulled her tools from her belt and stuffed them in the glove box even as her dad opened the front door.</p><p>“Does he not know? Hey!” Danny asked hurriedly as she shoved her gun in his hand. It stung, and he shoved it under his seat then shook his hand out.</p><p>“Sorry. I forgot. It’s got silver mixed in the metal. And no he doesn’t.” The last thing she pulled from her pocket was a small bottle of amber liquid.</p><p>“And what’s that?” Danny asked, apprehensive.</p><p>“This it a little mix I like to call: My cover story. It’s not the first time I’ve had to some up with a reason to be out at,” she looked at the clock. “Jesus, it’s already almost 2:30 in the morning.”</p><p>“Well, yeah, we spent like an hour and a half on campus and it’s a 45 minute drive out here.” As Danny spoke, the front door to Valerie’s house opened, and her surprisingly huge father was walking out to the car. Quickly Valerie tossed half the liquid back and winced then poured the rest on her self and Danny realized it was just liquor. Then she started patting around the and sat up running her tattooed hand down between the seat and center console.</p><p>“Daddy doesn’t know about my tattoo. Don’t say anything stupid,” she whispered. Her father knocked on the window, and Danny rolled it down. “Oh, hey, Daddy.” Valerie smiled, and swayed a little.</p><p>“Valerie you could have called. Where were you?”</p><p>“Sorry, Daddy I think I left my phone here. I thought it was in the car…” She made a show of digging further in the seats. Danny smiled. Her performance was pretty convincing, and he could absolutely see her being a bubbly drunk. “But I think I left it here at the house. Oh, this is Danny. There was a party near campus and he said he’d take me home.”</p><p>“Did Danny do any drinking before he got behind the wheel tonight?” Valerie’s father fixed Danny with a hard stare. “I smell alcohol in here.”</p><p>“Uh, no, sir. I’m just the designated driver tonight.”</p><p>“Hmm… Well, campus is a way from here, thanks for bringing her home safe.”</p><p>“No problem, sir.”</p><p>Valerie’s dad opened the car door, and helped her from the car. Valerie crossed her arms-hiding her tattoo- and waved at Danny over her dad’s shoulder before he went inside. Valerie’s dad lingered until she was inside, and Danny nervously palmed the steering wheel.</p><p>“So, how do you know my daughter?”</p><p>“I… met her on campus and then again at the party.”</p><p>“I see. And what are your plans for the rest of the night?”</p><p>“Just heading home. I told my girlfriend I would be heading back as soon as I dropped Val off at home.” Danny smiled.</p><p>Valerie’s father relaxed at the mention of a girlfriend and nodded. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Well here’s some gas money for your trouble.”</p><p>“Oh, no, sir, I offered.”</p><p>“You sure?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>Valerie’s father nodded again with a smile. “Well, goodnight.” He closed the door, and tossed the gas money in through the open window before he turned and headed back toward the hose. Danny laughed incredulously and pulled out onto the main road.</p><p>After about five minutes his phone rang and he answered. “Yeah?”</p><p>“You okay?” Valerie whispered. “He didn’t say anything weird, did he?”</p><p>“Nah, I think he just wanted to make sure my intentions with his daughter were not to take advantage of you. And he gave me gas money, so that’s a plus.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Valerie scoffed. Then her voice was muffled for a second. “Yeah, Daddy, I’m okay! My phone was on my bed. Told you I left it here!” She returned to the line. “Sorry he’s like that.”</p><p>“It’s really fine, Val.”</p><p>“Val who are you talking to? Sorry who’s like what?”</p><p>Danny paused as he heard her father speak.</p><p>“Paulina. Daddy, guess what her boyfriend did. I swear he’s such a-”</p><p>“Never mind! Sorry I asked. Goodnight, sweety. My liquor cabinets locked. Just water for you tonight.”</p><p>“Kay, Daddy. I’m just gonna take a shower and go to sleep. Love you.” Danny listened to her make a kiss noise at her father, and then she returned to the line. “Listen, I really am going to shower. I need to wash off this alcohol. I’ll text you tomorrow.”</p><p>“Right. Wait! What am I supposed to do with this knife and this gun and stuff?”</p><p>“It’s all made with silver so don’t touch any of it. The gun has modifications on it like my tattoo so maybe just leave it where you put it in case it reacts to you being a vampire.”</p><p>“And you left this in my car!?”</p><p>“It’s fine. Just… don’t get pulled over. It’s also not registered.” She hung up and Danny fought back a wave of panic he was sitting over a ticking timebomb the rest of the way home.</p><p>He jumped out of the car as soon as he parked and made his way upstairs. He was tired, and debating also taking a shower, or leaving it for the morning. When he got inside, he found Sam asleep on the sofa under his bathrobe. She was sleeping at an odd angle he knew would hurt her neck. He bundled her up further in his robe, and lifted her into his arms. He carried her to bed, and went back to put her phone on the charger. He plugged it in, and the notifications flashed on the main screen. There was an email from her professor Baxter with the subject line: Germany internship.</p><p>Danny’s stomach dropped. Sam had mentioned the internship she had applied for perhaps expanding. She hadn’t said anything about it potentially taking her across the world. Heart pounding, he plugged in his phone beside hers and moved to the shower.</p><p>It was already almost four in the morning by time he dragged himself into bed beside her. He had calmed down a little and had just resolved to ask her about the email in the morning.</p><p>When Danny woke, however, Sam was already gone. Danny didn’t wake until Valerie was calling him around noon. He rolled over in bed, glancing at the spot Sam usually lay, and answered, “Hey. Morning.”</p><p>“Eh, technically afternoon.”</p><p>“Whatever.” Danny put the phone on speaker was he poured himself some cereal. He looked through his notifications. No texts from Sam. He looked around the kitchen and living room. No note. He sat down with his cereal and texted her: where’d you go?</p><p>“Oh, someone’s grumpy.”</p><p>“Sorry. I woke up and Sam isn’t here. She usually tells me when she’s heading out or leaves a note or something.”</p><p>“Do you want to look for her and do the bookstore another day?”</p><p>“No, I texted her. She’ll text me back. Also, I want that stuff out of my car!”</p><p>“Yeah, that’s true. Sounds like you just got up, so let’s meet at say, 2:30?”</p><p>Danny’s phone vibrated, and he checked to see that Sam had texted back finally: with mom. Danny sighed exasperatedly. He looked out the window, and saw the sky was grey, threatening rain.</p><p>“No?” Valerie asked.</p><p>“Sorry, it’s not you. Yeah 2:30 is fine. You wanna get lunch while we’re out?”</p><p>“I’m eating lunch now, actually.”</p><p>“Oh. Dinner then?”</p><p>“Sure. When are we meeting your friend?”</p><p>“I actually haven’t called him yet. Give me ten minutes and I’ll get back to you.”</p><p>“Riiight.”</p><p>Danny chuckled at her skepticism and hung up the phone. He called Tucker, and arranged to have him join them at the library around 3, and then later for dinner. He would ask Sam to join them also when he got hold of her. Then he texted Valerie to let her know the plan. Finally, he sat back to stare again at Sam’s text. No punctuation. No capitals. Short sentence. She was pissed about something, but damned if he knew what it may be. He sighed and sat back in the chair. He didn’t respond to the text. Whatever he said right now would probably start a fight, especially since he didn’t know why she was mad.</p><p>Danny sat back in his chair and wracked his brain. He couldn’t think of anything. They seemed fine when he’d left last night. What could have possibly changed while he wasn’t even here? Danny dressed for the day out, and having over an hour left before the meeting time, did some tidying up. He waited for word from Sam and received nothing further until he was literally on his way out to meet Valerie.</p><p>He was walking down the stairs just as Sam pulled into the lot. He spotted her, and changed his path to meet her at her car. Sam spotted him, and after turning off the engine and just sat there. Danny waited a moment, then knocked on the passenger window. She looked over at him, and he gave her a palm up ‘what the fuck?’ gesture.</p><p>She groaned, and unlocked the car, but continued to sit there. Finally, Danny checked his phone one more time, and shot Valerie a quick text. “May be late.” He opened the car door, and sat down inside, leaving one leg outside the car, and the door open.</p><p>They were silent a moment. Sam looked like she may speak a couple times, but instead she just sat there quietly. Danny was the one to break the silence instead. “Where… why didn’t you leave a note this morning?”</p><p>“I don’t have to tell anyone where I am at all times, Danny.”</p><p>Danny’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I didn’t say you did. You just usually say something is all.”</p><p>“Well, you don’t tell me where you go, so why should I?”</p><p>“What the hell are you taking about? I was texting you yesterday while I was committing a goddamn crime!”</p><p>She was glaring at her own hands gripping the steering wheel and Danny was utterly confused. He checked his phone to see if maybe his texts hadn’t gotten through after all. This seemed to anger her more.</p><p>“Oh, are you just dying to go meet up with someone else again!?”</p><p>“What!?” Danny, bewildered, showed her his phone screen. “I was just checking my texts with you to make sure they went through. See? I texted you when I got there, and then when we left the dome.”</p><p>“But not after that and you didn’t come home for at least another hour! And…” She hesitated. “When I woke up this morning, I wanted bagels but we’re out. I was going to just take your car to get some, and when I got in the <em>first thing</em> I smell was alcohol.” She angrily pushed her car door open and got out. Danny sat un stunned silence a moment trying to think what she could be talking about. Then he remembered, and ran from the car after her.</p><p>He was so relieved he was almost laughing as he said, “Sam, it’s a misunderstanding!” He grabbed her shoulder at the base of the stairs and she halted, finally, and turned to him.</p><p>“What’s to misunderstand about that Danny? You went out with her after, I know you did. I saw her gear and belt in the glovebox.”</p><p>“That was to cover with her Dad! I swear!” He waved a hand back toward the car. “If you looked in the back you may have seen a poster tube, right? After the dome, I wanted to look at the room,” he glanced at the open windows near them. “The science building, so we went there. I printed that poster while we were there.” He thought about mentioning the Vampire encounter, but decided not to. No need to muddle things further right now. “Then after that I took Val home.”</p><p>Sam scoffed. “And that took an hour?”</p><p>“Yes. It took an hour, Sam. She lives, like, forty minutes from campus, and when we got to her place, her dad was home, so she pulled out a bottle of alcohol she keeps in her belt and poured some of it on herself so her dad would think we went out. He doesn’t know she’s a hunter, I guess. Then I came right back here.”</p><p>“So why didn’t you text me then, if that’s all you did?”</p><p>“Because I <em>forgot</em>, Sam, and because it was already two in the morning. Not because I was hooking up with Val.”</p><p>“And <em>why</em> is she ‘Val’ all of a sudden? You already gave her a nickname?”</p><p>“I give <em>everyone</em> nicknames. Tuck. Jazz. Sam.” Danny let out and incredulous laugh. “I call my car Shelly!” Sam crossed her arms and bit her lip. Danny suddenly felt tired again. He sat down on the step, and pulled her down beside him. “What’s going on, Sam?”</p><p>Sam hesitated. “I’m… taking the internship. The one with Professor Baxter.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“My role is being expanded. And I’ll be going to Germany.” Danny’s stomach did a backflip. So, it had been true. “For two years.”</p><p>“Okay… okay… How… will this work? Us? Long distance.”</p><p>“I… Danny, I don’t think it will. You have so much going on, all the time and I-”</p><p>“I said I would <em>make </em>time. I will! I’ll make time for us, Sam.” He reached for her, but she shrugged him off and walked away, back toward her car. “Sam.”</p><p>Sam stopped. “You’ll try. But can you!? Every time you rush off it’s an <em>emergency, </em>right?”</p><p>“Sam…” Danny was quickly approaching the edge of his temper. “I ALMOST DIED.”</p><p>“I know. You said.”</p><p>“And yet it keeps coming up like it’s my fault! What the fuck is wrong with you lately? When we were teenagers you were there for me when these things happened. Now you brush off <em>my </em>near-death experience like I’m overreacting to a popped tire. Well, SORRY! Sorry I didn’t get almost killed at a more convenient time for you. Sorry for trying to get my life back. Sorry I couldn’t keep just being the quietly troubled vampire boy for you.” At this Sam bristled. “I’ll just give up and go back to being your perfect goth accessory. My bad in advance if you get a papercut and I accidentally fucking murder you,” he hissed, aware their downstairs window was most definitely at their window, watching through the blinds.</p><p>She turned on her heel toward Danny, and slapped him full across the face. Danny was stunned into silence. Tears were pouring down Sam’s face. Danny could hear her heart pounding and he was filled with dread. Had he gone too far and hurt her feelings? Or was he right?</p><p>They just stood there a long time, and then Sam’s phone started to ring. She answered it, and Danny found himself breathing hard, his vision blurring. He reached out and grabbed her arm as she turned away. “Sam, wait.”</p><p>Sam pushed his hand away. “Hold on, Mom,” Sam put down her phone for a moment. “I came back to tell you about the internship. I’ll come by for my stuff later tonight with my mom and dad.”</p><p>Danny’s breath hitched and his chest ached. “I’ll… leave the door open.” And he started to walk away.</p><p>“Danny?” Danny ignored her calling him back as he headed out of the parking lot on foot. He heard her start to run after him, and dashed near top speed to get away from her. In moments he was down the street and around the corner. He wound through the neighborhood on at random.</p><p>As he walked, he ran through a plethora of emotions. Hurt that she would jump right to this extreme without trying to talk it out. Confusion about how they got here and what he could have done differently. Anger that he may have really just been an accessory to her aesthetic. Sam the individualist. She had embraced the idea of him being so different from the time he was turned. At the time, he’d thought she was just that accepting and kind. She’d stayed by him as he’d anguished over the realization of what he was. As he recalled it, he was back to crushing sadness, and he paused on the side walk and looked to the sky, fighting down the tears. He walked on when they settled.</p><p>His phone buzzed. It was Sam. He declined the call. He walked for what felt like hours, ignoring the seemingly constant buzzing of his phone. It turned out to actually be hours when after a while he found himself near downtown Amity, and his phone went off again. Irritated, he pulled out his phone with the intent to turn off the phone entirely, and saw it was Valerie calling. He answered it, “Hello?”</p><p>Valerie was quiet for a moment before she spoke. “Where are you?” She asked finally.</p><p>Danny looked around. “Main and eleventh,” Danny said quietly.</p><p>As he spoke, it started to rain, and Danny just sat down on a bench near where he was. On the other end of the line, Valerie’s tone was laced with sympathy. “We’re near you. I ran into Tucker. He said he and Sam have been calling you.” She paused. “Can we meet you?”</p><p>“Is it… just you and Tucker?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Danny felt the urge to cry well up just at the prospect of interacting with another person right now, but he nodded. He only remembered Valerie couldn’t see the nod when she said, “Danny, we’re across the street, look up.”</p><p>Danny stood up, and spotted Tucker and Valerie standing under an overhang outside a coffee shop. Tucker waved with both arms over his head, and Valerie offered a smaller wave with a smile as he started to cross the street toward them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Bookstore and Hot Chocolate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Valerie looks at the bookstore on her own. Tucker and Valerie console Danny in the aftermath of his break-up.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Valerie got off the phone with Danny, she looked at the clock. Still two hours before they were set to meet. She dressed, adding gloves to the outfit to cover her tattoo, but also because it was getting very cold outside. She took the time to do her make-up and went about taking a few photos for her Instagram. Her father photo bombed her and posed with kissy lips, mimicking her pose in the background. “Daddy!” She whined, even as she laughed. “You know what? I’m posting it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait! Girl! Don’t play!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I ain’t playin’” She leaned away from him, uploading the photo even as he tried to grab her phone. She laughed harder when, moments after posting, Paulina commented: ‘lookin’ sexy Mr. Gray’ with heart emojis. She showed her father the post and he groaned and stomped away. Valerie checked the time and realized it was nearly time to meet Danny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kissed her father on the cheek, and trotted out the door. “See you, Daddy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call if you’ll be late.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie jammed to her favorite R&amp;B station on her way downtown, and as she pulled into a parking garage, she saw she’d missed a message from Danny saying he may be late. She texted back she would be waiting in the bookstore, and headed toward it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bookstore was at least as old as most of campus. Valerie crossed the threshold and felt a hum in her hand. She stilled and glanced around. There were only three people inside. Two people behind the counter, and one more person wandering the aisle out of Valerie’s sight. She made her way through the old bookshelves, turned her back to the store, and pulled down her glove to see where the hum was coming from. Almost as soon as she pulled back her glove however, the humming ceased. She turned back to the store, and the shopper was still there, but there was only one girl behind the register.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, the vampire was one of the workers, maybe? Valerie pulled out her notebook, and started looking for the books that she had identified from the quotes in the book. She pulled each from the shelves in turn and flipped through quickly, looking for the pages and words indicated by the numbers. Stone. Work. Other. None of these words meant anything, but Valerie jotted them down anyway next to their quotes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was more laborious work than Valerie had anticipated. She’d been writing nearly an hour before she pulled another book, she looked up, and saw the cashier girl watching her. She stared until the girl moved away, and moved toward the poetry section. The girl conspicuously hovered around ten feet behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nearly a half hour more, the girl followed her. Valerie was getting agitated to say the least. She tapped her foot as she stood in the poetry sections, pulling different books from the same section looking for any of the poems listed in her notebook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie thumbed through her book as the girl hovered near her, glancing at Valerie every now and again. Irritated, Valerie slammed the book and turned toward her, hands on hips. The girl turned away hurriedly, and scurried to another part of the store. Valerie watched her go. She had looked tired. Extremely bags were under her eyes and her cheeks were hollow.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie’s tattoo hummed again, and she stilled as she opened another book of poems, and glanced down at her hand. She glanced over her shoulder. In the direction of the signal the girl that had been watching her was standing behind the counter. The girl at checkout tapped her foot impatiently, her hood already pulled up for the rain and ready to go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cashier was preoccupied however, speaking to an extremely tall, thin man who had appeared at the bottom of the staircase. He glanced her way with an icy stare over a pair of round glasses, and Valerie pretended to flip through the book. This man was a Vampire. It seemed like he had some connection with the shop. Had Thomas known a Vampire resided here? Could it have to do with why he was murdered? Valerie selected the book she’d been looking at when she’d seemingly caught the girl’s attention, and brought it to the counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she approached, the Vampire cast her a glance before sweeping back behind the door. As the door clicked closed, the humming ceased, and Valerie felt a ping that told her that magic had been used on the door. She thought back to the last time she stood outside the shop with Danny and Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl stared at Valerie uneasily as she checked out Valerie’s book. Valerie sneered at her and made a show of dialing Paulina on the phone. Paulina answered as Valerie was exiting the shop and she immediately complained loudly about the bitch at the bookstore. Even as she exited the shop, Valerie was sure she was being watched, so she stayed on the phone, complaining about the pretend assignment that required the book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s so stupid,” Paulina said sympathetically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It should be fine, but this hoe at the store pissed me off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t have bought it. You should have left and just got it online.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but it's due so I needed to just grab it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmmm.. that’s fair. But still. Hey! Let’s go bowling tonight!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bowling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! Star is back in town on spring break too. Let’s all go!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked at the time. Danny was still a no-show. May as well. “Sure. What time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Let me ask Star if she wants to go.” Valerie rolled her eyes as they disconnected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Valerie turned at the noise. A tall black man with a baseball cap was approaching her, waving, and looking somewhat desperate. “Are you Valerie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked him up and down, noting his bookstore gear. “Danny’s friend?” She asked. “Do you know where he is? He just texted me he would be late and I haven’t heard anything since.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker cursed. “He had a fight with Sam and stormed off. He isn’t answering anyone’s calls or texts. I’m worried about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? It’s not like he’s all that delicate. He’s not going to hurt himself accidentally walking in front of a bus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he’s… more sensitive than he seems, you know? He gets down and he stays down for a while. It’s better if someone is there to help him get back up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was it that bad?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She broke up with him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooooh, shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could you maybe try calling? He had plans with you so maybe he’ll answer. If only to tell you he’s not coming.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I can try.” Valerie pulled out her phone again and called him. While it rang, Tucker paced next to him, playing with the brim of his hat and crossing and uncrossing his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny answered on the third ring, and Valerie reached out and grabbed Tucker's arm. “Hello?” Tucker moved closer, and Valerie put the phone on speaker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s voice sounded thick, strained. Valerie felt a pang in his heart and “Where are you?” She asked finally. She softened her tone, and looked up at Tucker. Tucker’s jaw was set and he listened intently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Main and eleventh,” Danny said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rain started to come down finally as Valerie looked around, for the nearest street sign. “We’re near you. I ran into Tucker. He said he and Sam have been calling you.” She paused as Tucker started to walk toward Danny. She grabbed Tucker’s arm “Can we meet you?” she asked. She would understand if he said no, and respect that. He didn’t answer for a long time, and then finally whispered, his voice breaking, “Is it… just you and Tucker?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Valerie answered. Danny was silent. Tucker took off and Valerie moved after him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie had to jog to keep up with Tucker. He made it to the cross streets, keeping dry by running from store awning to store awning. They stopped under the awning for a coffee shop and Valerie spotted Danny. He was sitting on a bench across the street. Soaked, and Valerie was sure, chilled to the bone by the October rain. He was motionless, the phone still held to his ear. He was facing them, but gazing, unseeing, at the asphalt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny, we’re across the street, look up.” Valerie said. He looked up slowly, and stood. He made his way over, and stopped as soon as he stepped up onto the sidewalk, still in the rain. He shivered, and it occurred to Valerie that being half human, Danny was probably still weak to extreme weather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie gently grabbed his hand, and pulled him out of the rain, under the awning with them. Tucker put a hand on Danny’s shoulder, and it was as if the contact was a switch that compelled Danny into speech. He tried and failed to speak once, then cleared his throat and tried again. “Sam…” He licked his lips, staring at the ground between them. “Sam broke up… with…” He trailed off. He was clenching and unclenching one fist. Playing with the hem of his soaked shirt with the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker and Valerie looked at each other. Tucker placed a hand on the back of Danny’s neck and guided him closer, his other arm looping around Danny’s back. Danny folded himself into Tucker’s embrace, and finally began to cry in earnest. Valerie stood beside them, running her hand up and down Danny’s cold arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny finally cried while Tucker quietly assured him everything would be alright. Danny caught Valerie’s eye again, and blushed. He buried his face in the crook of his arm and turned from Tucker. “I’m okay,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie placed a tentative hand on Danny’s arm again. She nodded to the coffee shop. “Let’s get you inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded, and followed her and Tucker inside. The employees behind the counter jumped and grabbed up random chores to look busy with and pretend they hadn’t been listening in on them through the cracked door. Danny blushed again and shrank into himself as Tucker went to the counter to order and ask for a towel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Valerie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny tapped his ear, looking miserable. “They were whispering, asking if I was dumped.” He sank into a seat and rested his head on the table. “I should have stayed on the bench.” Tucker returned to the table, set three hot chocolates on the table, and draped the towel around Danny’s shoulder.  When Danny didn’t react, Tucker sighed, and sipped his own hot chocolate with one hand, while he brought the towel up and dried Danny’s hair with the other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t very effective, but Danny seemed calmed by it. “How long have you two known each other?” Valerie asked, sipping her own hot chocolate. Danny’s eyes closed and his breathing had evened out, but Valerie was sure he was awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since kindergarten,” Tucker said. He was still rubbing Danny’s hair with the towel. “Been best friends ever since.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie wanted to ask about Sam, but she glanced down at Danny and thought better of it. “Not to change the subject, but did Danny tell you what I was going to ask you for today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he mentioned. Thomas’s email, right? I don’t know about that. They guy is dead right? How do we know someone isn’t watching his email for activity?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a Vampire that killed him. I’m a hunter. I go after Vampires that are a danger to humans. Danny’s already been attacked once. We gotta take any chance we got to protect people. We don’t know who’ll be next.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker paused and looked down at Danny, then sighed and pointed at both of them. “Fine,” But both of y’all owe me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She flipped to the page on Thomas in her notebook and handed it to Tucker. She sat back and finished off her hot chocolate while he looked it over. Tucker pulled out his phone and started searching while Valerie took back her notebook. Danny continued to lay inert while Tucker’s eyes darted to him once in a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you aren’t going to drink it, I will,” Valerie said, nudging Danny under the table with her foot. Without sitting up or opening his eyes, Danny reached up, grabbed the cup, and pulled it back from her, holding it under the table. Valerie chucked. “Wow,” she stood up to get another cup.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By time she got back to the table, Tucker was perusing some forum. “Anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s got a personal site he runs that I found just hopping links in his social media bios, then following a comment he left on a game developer page. Most of its just videogame forums he was admin on. But there’s a page here that’s just labeled ‘</span>
  <span>malbenita ĉasisto’, it means--</span>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cursed hunter.” Tucker looked surprised and Danny finally raised his head to look at her. “It’s Esperanto, a synthetic language.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker nodded, looking impressed. “Yeah. That’s right.” He turned to Danny. “It’s from the 1800’s. Most people who use it today are people online that use it like a code to find each other and communicate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s also the chosen language of most Hunters. I use it for my spells.” She held up her hand to show them her tattoo. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, looks like it needs a password.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Could it be any of these?” Valerie pointed to the notebook page she’d filled out earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It might. I’m not going to do anymore right now, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll wait till I can work from my home PC and have the protection of VPNs and firewalls in case someone is watching the site for logins. We don’t know what made whoever it was go after Thomas, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. It made sense to her. She thought about the stone and the metal piece and hoped the site may hold more information on both. “Do you know who the other TA with Thomas was?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker thought about it. “I don’t remember. Some little nerdy guy. I only remember he has a name that can be a girl’s name. Like Ashley or something like that? I’ll check on that when I get home too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Under the table, Valerie nudged Danny again. “You drinking that hot chocolate or not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny finally sat up slowly, towel still on his head, and sipped at his surely now lukewarm drink. He looked so tired, and Valerie felt another pang of sympathy for him. She lay her head down on her arms, looking up at Danny. He was avoiding both Valerie and Tucker’s gazes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Tucker nudged Danny with his elbow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay.” He sunk in his seat, and stared at the ceiling. “It was so out of nowhere for me, but the more I think about it, the more I can tell she’s been thinking about it for a while.” He sat up and stared at the table before he turned to Tucker. “Did you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker, startled, shook his head emphatically. “No! No, she told me as much about your arguments as you did, I guess but I would just tell her the same I told you: you needed to talk about everything. I had no idea she was going to do what she did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. Tucker clapped a hand on his back. “So, what now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny sighed. He looked at Valerie. “The bookstore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “There’s a Vampire in there, and they may have picked me out as a hunter already. It’s probably better to avoid the store for now. Especially since at least part of the building is shielded.” She held up her hand again. “I have zero doubt that we’ll have to go back eventually. If Thomas had been there, he may not have known he was in danger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or the Vamp was helping him,” Tucker pointed out with a shrug. He nodded to Danny. “They’re not always hostile.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie smiled, feeling a little pity for this man. “In my experience it’s usually safer to assume hostility until I’m given evidence to the contrary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “A lot of Vamps think of humans as nothing but food, Tuck. Most of the ones I’ve met would never talk to humans, let alone work with them. I’ve even been attacked because they were curious what a half-breed tasted like.” Danny shivered then to Valerie’s surprise he let out a snort.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tilted her head in question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” Danny sagged in his chair. “I was just remembering: when I got bitten, Sam and I fought about it because I missed Easter dinner with her parents and they already hated me. Hate me to this day.” He slumped in his seat again. “Doesn’t… matter now I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie exchanged a glance with Tucker. “So maybe we call it a day. I don’t know that there's much moving forward if we can’t get into the locked webpage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker nodded. “You mind if I take this?” He held up her journal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shrugged. “Sure.” Since there wasn’t anything to do, she doubted she’d need it.  She and Tucker stood, but Danny stayed seated. “What are you going to do?” Valerie asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam said she would be going to my place to clear out her stuff with her parents. I’m not going to sit there and let them talk shit and glare at me, and I’m 10000% not going to help. So…” Valerie sighed, hands on hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you can’t stay here. They close in like two hours.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at Tucker. Tucker nodded and grabbed Danny’s arm. “Come on. You can stay at my place tonight. Maybe for a couple days. Okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded, and let Tucker lead him from the shop as he sipped more on his drink. Valerie walked beside him, and Valerie bumped his hip with hers. He looked at her over his drink. “You’ll be okay, Danny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Val.” But Danny didn’t look convinced. He followed after Tucker, head down and led along by the wrist like a lost child, head down and not watching the path ahead of him. They reached the parking garage where Valerie had parked and Valerie said goodbye to the boys for the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny hesitated, then leaned down and gave Valerie a quick, one armed squeeze. “Thanks,” he said. “I still want to visit the bookstore. Will you go with me tomorrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie thought about it, and shook her head. “Nope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What--but I--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She playfully punched his shoulder. “Take a day. Settle stuff with Sam and calm down. If we end up fighting a Vampire, I can’t afford to have a partner that’s distracted.” She smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, and suddenly looked like he may cry again. He held back on it, and smiled back. “Yeah. Thanks.” Tucker winked at Valerie and ruffled Danny’s hair as they headed off to wherever Tucker had parked. Valerie texted her dad to let him know she would be home for dinner after all, and headed up the stairs to her car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was halfway up the second flight of stairs when Valerie realized someone was behind her. She exited the stairwell a floor early, and the person moving behind her exited as well. Valerie started sprinting for the other exit, pulling her knife as she ran. Her tattoo wasn’t humming, but just because her attacker wasn’t a Vampire didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then suddenly, Valerie was rammed in the lower back. The attack sent her flying a few feet and she slammed hard into a car. The alarm started going off, and Valerie was winded, and barely had the breath to whisper, “Mi puŝas vin malantaŭen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The attacker was sent flying across the garage, and Valerie pushed to her feet and took off down the nearest set of stairs. The attacker waited until she was alone. Her best bet was to get back to the ground and back around other people. They would surely catch her before she could reach her car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as she was running out of the building, someone leapt from the garage above her, and landed in front of her. It was a girl, wearing shorts and a hoodie. Valerie skidded to a stop, and turned on her heel to pivot toward the street. She was grabbed by the shirt and slashed out with her knife. The girl recoiled, and Valerie was shocked to see no flames, like when she’d cut the giant, but unless Valerie’s eyes deceived her, she thought she saw the wound flash blue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie took a fighting stance, switching her knife from her left to right hand to free up her tattoo for use. The girl righted herself, clutching the slash Valerie had made to her side, and stood before Valerie, looking disturbingly unperturbed. Valerie took just the fraction of a moment to look at the wound she’d inflicted. There was no blood, though Valerie knew it was a deep cut.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie paid for the lapse in attention dearly when she was sent tumbling back toward the side of the building. She hit the concrete building hard, and her arms were pinned to the wall above her head. She brought her leg up to kick the girl and was blocked, and kneed in the stomach. Shocked, as the air was driven from her, she gasped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl leaned very close to her, and whispered, “You move and I’ll rip out your throat. Speak and I’ll rip out your throat. I see anything that even looks like one of those spells,” She squeezed Valerie’s wrist, and Valerie cried out when she felt her wrist crack, “and I’ll crush your other hand too,” she smirked, “and </span>
  <em>
    <span>then </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’ll rip out your throat.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to Thejordanandhervices --&gt; https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thejordanandhervices for agreeing to beta read for this work! Love you gally pal. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Bruises and Chinese Food</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny realizes Valerie is in danger and rushes to her aid. Sam wants one more conversation with Danny</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Danny was just about to get in the car with Tucker when he heard it, a voice cried out, in pain. He turned, his heart pounding. The spot Tucker had parked was just around the corner from the parking garage where they’d left Valerie. It was faint, but he knew he’d heard something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up?” Tucker asked. He followed Danny’s gaze back the way they’d come. “You see something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that came from… Valerie.” With that, he took off running. He skidded to a stop in front of the parking garage, and started to head up the stairs when he heard a voice cry out again. This time it was clear to Danny’s ear. It had come from the back side of the building on the ground floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The area was akin to a junkyard, flat, with discarded car parts strewn about the 50 square meter area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rounded the building, and there he saw them. Someone had Valerie pinned against the wall outside the stairwell. Valerie looked like she was in pain, but the expression in her face was defiant. Danny knew she was fully prepared to continue to fight. He ran for them, and just as he slashed at the Vampire, they noticed he was there. They leapt backward away from Valerie and retreated further toward the middle of the clearing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They want to make sure they have a way out, no matter which way I attack from,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Danny thought.  Danny’s claws had only ripped at their hood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They threw it back, and it was just then that Danny realized the attacker was a woman. A girl, late high school aged maybe? That wasn’t what was interesting about her, however. As she threw back her hood, she pulled her hair free from her jacket, and a thigh length mane of black and white hair cascaded down her back. Danny stared for just a moment before he turned to Valerie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was being careful of her right arm and sagged to the floor, clutching her stomach. Danny knelt beside her, and she leaned against his shoulder. “Thanks,” she panted. “Thanks for saving me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. He was worried for Valerie, and nervous about having to fight. He bore his fangs in a snarl as he glared at the girl. She stood up straight, clutching a wound to her own abdomen. Danny was satisfied to see Valerie had gotten a hit in. Danny stood to full height as well, and moved in front of Valerie, facing the stranger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Scary,” she said sarcastically. “It’s the red eyes.” She started to back away. Danny wouldn’t let her go. She stepped back. He stepped forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie reached up, and caught his wrist. “I hope you aren’t about to tell me to leave her be,” Danny said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “I wanna know why this bitch attacked me. I think she’s like you. My tattoo didn’t react to her. From what I can see, she’s faster than you. But I think you’re stronger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So how do I catch her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie pushed herself to her feet. The girl was facing both of them, yet she wasn’t backing down. So maybe she was determined to get something from Valerie? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At present, Valerie whispered words he didn’t understand under her breath. A spell, he guessed. “I’ll slow her down. Don’t hesitate, because you won’t be able to see either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slow her movements by obscuring her vision, allowing Danny to get close enough to overpower her. Danny focused on the girl ahead of him. It could work. He just had to not fuck it up. If he attacked and failed to catch her, he was terrified he wouldn’t be able to double back before she doubled back toward Valerie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If that happened, Valerie would either be captured, dead, or a hostage, but either way Danny would be responsible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny licked his lips nervously, and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On my mark.” In a blur Valerie used some spell to launch a car engine from among the debris toward the girl. She dodged, and Valerie shouted, “Go!” as Danny moved, Valerie sent out another spell that caused the engine to explode.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl lost her footing as she tried to dodge the debris flying at her from behind. Danny tackled her. Or tried. She brought her elbow down upon his spine and he lost his grip. He landed on top on her, and she as she scrambled to get away, he grabbed her hair and yanked her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah! Bitch! Really?!” She yelled, and Danny found he didn’t much disagree. It worked, though, and when she kicked at him he managed to lock her legs between his. Valerie was right, he was stronger, and after a moment’s more or struggle, she finally gave in and lay panting in the dirt, Danny pinning her down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie approached carefully, spells at the ready, Danny was sure. She cast one more, and the girl went even more still, her arms pinned to her sides. Valerie tapped Danny on the back. “You can let go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny slowly released her, and she stared up at them defiantly. Danny turned to Valerie. Her wrist was very swollen, and she still clutched her abdomen. He put an arm around her to brace her, and said, “You okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. “Hurts a lot though, so let’ s get through this fast, so I can get some ice on these.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They turned to the girl and she swallowed. “So… so kill me, if that’s what you’re going to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny and Valerie looked at one another. “Why did you attack Val?” Danny asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like you don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t.” Danny shrugged. “Haven’t a damn clue.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whatever. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Vlad can go </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck </span>
  </em>
  <span>yourselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was stunned. A weight was suddenly pressing on his chest. “Vlad? Vlad Masters?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was then the girl looked up at him. “What do you mean?” She paused. “You work for him, don’t you?” She looked at Valerie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shrugged. “The business guy? I’ve seen hm on TV.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked at Danny. Danny’s hands were shaking as he balled them into fists. “He’s a Vampire,” Danny whispered. He looked at Valerie. “He turned me when I was fourteen. Or he did something, anyway…” The girl paused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> like me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. The girl closed her eyes and lay back in the dirt, defeated. “Damn it. Damn it damn it.” She opened her eyes and stared at the sky. “I’ll tell you whatever you want, just let me up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked at Danny. He nodded. The girl’s eyes had reverted to green like his own normally were, and he knew she would not attack again. Valerie released the spell, and the girl continued to lay there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s your name?” Valerie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danial.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you deaf?” Danielle glared at Danny as she kicked his shin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow, no, <em>my</em> name is Danial, idiot.” Valerie kicked her back on his behalf, and leapt back when she lashed out again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be happy to tear the arm all the way off if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What makes you think you can?” Danielle stood up and Danny stepped in front of Valerie. The two half Vampires stared at one another. Danielle moved just a fraction of an inch, and Danny moved with her. She looked him up and down. Then she scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your eyes are still red,” she said. “Gonna hunt me down?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you make me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle shrugged. “Nothing new for me, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you attack me?” Valerie demanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was in contact with a guy online who said he lived here, Sydney.” Danny caught Valerie looking at him out of the corner of his eye. “About two weeks ago I just stopped hearing from him. He said he had mid-terms so I wasn’t worried, but then the term was ending and I still hadn’t heard anything. So, I came here to Amity. I tried to find him, and best I could find was that no one had seen him. Teachers, classmates, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no one</span>
  </em>
  <span> has seen him. I assume he’s dead at this point.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What took you to the bookstore?” Danny asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, chance brought me to the bookstore. I overheard the clerk saying you were looking at all the same books as the student who died.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would that mean I’m working for Vlad Masters? And better question, why would it warrant the possibly broken wrist?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only thought you might know something about Sydney. I didn’t think about you working for Vlad until I saw him.” Danielle looked Danny up and down with a sneer. “I saw he was just like me… and I knew it was Vlad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were wrong. I don’t know Vlad. I wasn’t involved in Sydney’s disappearance. But now…” Valerie sounded thoughtful. “Danny… Thomas…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s mind had been racing along the same lines, he was sure. Another Vampire connected student looking through the same books Valerie tracked Thomas’s notes to. Sydney was likely the other TA who Thomas had been communicating with in the notebooks. “I’ll check it out tomorrow.” Danny decided. He was thinking of the Vampire in the back room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll check it out tomorrow,” Valerie corrected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny poked Valerie in the stomach, and she doubled over, clutching his arm for support. “Yeah, no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle crossed her arms and laughed. “Yeah, I got you good, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck you, you cheap-shot takin’ ass bitch. You got lucky I thought you were human. It won’t happen again.” Danny hadn’t known Valerie very long, but he was very sure she was serious. He took her by the shoulder and started to guide her away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re just leaving me?” Danielle said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny paused. He looked back at her. “As long as you don’t attack again, we have no reason to attack you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie glared, then reluctantly let Danny lead her back into the parking garage. They took the elevator to the floor they needed, and Valerie pointed out her car. Danny recognized it. It was a baby blue four door that was much newer than Danny’s. He sat her down gently in the passenger seat and leaned it back as far as it could go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He jogged around the car and got in the driver’s seat. Danny thought. Should he go to the hospital? It was clear another person had caused her injuries. There was a bruise like a hand print around her wrist already. What if they insisted on filing a police report? Plus, Danny wasn’t sure he could handle being in a hospital where bloody injuries abound. “I’ll take you home,” he decided finally, “and I’ll catch an Uber or taxi home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “No. My dad will just take me to the hospital. I’m fine. Just badly bruised. I’ve had worse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny glanced at her. He hadn’t known her long enough to feel comfortable asking what would be worse than a super strength strike to the abdomen and a broken wrist. “Where do I take you then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just get me some ice, and I’ll see if my friend Paulina will let me stay over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny hesitated, then he drove the ten minutes to the corner store. He ran in and grabbed icepacks, bandages, pain meds and a wrist splint. When he returned to the car, Valerie was looking disappointed. She was on her phone. “No, it’s cool, girl. Have fun. But if my dad asks, just please tell him I was there.” Her voice was cheerful. It creeped Danny out to hear it coming from such a disgruntled face. She hung up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny opened the packaging on the brace. Valerie let out a hiss when she applied the ice to her wrist and stomach. “Ow…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, no go on your friend’s place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Apparently this week she’s “on” again with her boyfriend and he’s staying over for the weekend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Danny hesitated. “You… could come stay at my place? I’ll take the couch so you can get some sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie checked the time on her phone. “Are you sure your ex won’t still be there? It’s still pretty early.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny felt a jolt to his heart hearing Sam referred to that way. He took a steadying breath and took out his phone as he drove. He handed it to Valerie after he unlocked it, then started the car. “Can you call Tuck and let him know I’m just going to my place? You can tell him what happened if you want. His contact name is King Tuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie raised an eyebrow, and Danny smiled. “Inside joke. He got locked in a sarcophagus by accident in high school because he kept fucking around and it closed on him. Thing weighed a ton. He’s lucky I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> a vampire or he may have suffocated.” Danny smiled at the memory. “We both got kicked off the school trip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker answered and Valerie relayed the message. “Is he sure?” Tucker asked. “You can both come here.” Danny shook his head giving Valerie a warning look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Danny said we’re good.” Valerie said. She raised an eyebrow in question and chuckled as she hung up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled into a drive thru, and Danny inspected the menu. “Is his place that bad?” Valerie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He has four roommates in a two bedroom. One of them is a couple that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>suuuuper</span>
  </em>
  <span> into each other and they are </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>competitive gamers with huge set ups all over the apartment. He and I used to live together before he decided he and his gaming buddy should stay together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie grimaced and lay back against the seat. “I think I’d rather sleep in the car.” Danny smiled and handed their fries to Valerie. He got back on the road as she one handedly snuck some fries. They pulled into his lot a short time later and saw Sam with her parents seemingly just about done. Danny parked the car and sat back in his seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt momentarily like he may cry again, and was grateful when Valerie shoved his food toward him. “We’ll eat here, and go up in a bit.” She said decisively. Danny liked the idea because it meant that by time they got out of the car, Sam may be gone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He should have known he wouldn’t be so lucky. Near what seemed like the end, when Danny was resentfully watching Sam’s dad carry out the television Danny had bought with Sam, Sam looked over toward them and paused. Danny sat up straighter, chewing the inside of his cheek. She started toward them, and Danny reached for the keys.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie caught his hand, and Danny looked at her. She was looking at him, and Danny realized she must have been watching him. “Calm down. She’s not going to bite you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but she may do worse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then ignore her. Walk past her into the house. Sit here and mind your business. She doesn’t live here anymore. Don’t let her push you out of your space.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny hadn’t thought of it that way. He took his hand off the keys and looked at Valerie again. She smiled at him. He swallowed as he heard Sam’s footsteps approaching outside the car. Danny continued to look at Valerie, but he flinched when Sam knocked on the window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was right. He shouldn’t look. If he did, he would crack. He knew Sam. He knew she must be feeling guilty for slapping him and maybe for springing the break up on him and still angry at what he said. If he opened the door, she would explain herself to him, justify her anger until he agreed and apologized. And then he would be feeling even more miserable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knocked again. Maybe he was overthinking. Maybe she just wanted to give back his house key or something. Sam was overall a sweet person. He was just thinking down on her because he was upset. Afterall, he understood her reasons given for breaking up, even if he didn’t agree they were enough to give up on them over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knocked one more time, and he reached for the door handle. Just before he opened the door, Valerie shifted beside him, and he realized she had opened her own door, and was climbing out of the car. Sam moved toward Valerie as Valerie spoke. “If you don’t stop knocking on my goddamn car…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, he’s just not gonna talk to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s up to him. Stop touching my car.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam narrowed her eyes at Valerie. “Why are you two together?” Sam asked. She raised her voice, through she had to know Danny could hear even if she whispered. “Not even one day and he’s already moved on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie held up her bruised hand. “Not that it’s any of your business, Hun, but I’m a hunter, if you remember. We had a Vampire run-in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny, can you come out and talk to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny swallowed. Was he really just content to sit here and let Valerie deflect for him? He got out of the car. Sam stalked back around toward him, and he walked past her. He went to Valerie, and offered her his arm. “You should lay down,” he told her. She looked up at him and he mouthed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled, and said, “Yeah.” Danny figured this was in response to both his spoken and unspoken statements. He nodded, and started walking her toward the stairs. He stared resolutely ahead, refusing to look toward Sam’s parents. He heard Sam’s footsteps approaching from behind and paused. Valerie put a hand to her stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny wrapped an arm around her waist. “You’re okay, Val.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “Yeah. I just need to lay down.” She looked like she was in pain, starting to sweat, and Danny wanted to be away from Sam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I carry you?” Danny asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right in front of me?” Sam demanded from behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the matter with you!? She’s hurt. Look at her wrist. And besides,” Danny took Valerie into his arms. “It’s none of your business anymore.” He carried Valerie upstairs; glad Sam couldn’t see the tears on his face as he walked away from her. Valerie leaned on his shoulder and patted his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got Valerie inside, and let out a sigh as he saw his apartment half empty. He went to the bedroom, and sat Valerie on the edge on the bed. She kicked off her boots and lay back against his sheets while Danny went to get her water.  When he came back, Valerie had stripped her shirt to look at the bruise. Danny turned away hurriedly, but the image of the dark discoloration stuck with him and turned his stomach. “D-Do you have you have a spell for healing, or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yeah, that’s the plan. I actually already used it in the car. It’s not instant. I’ll be right as rain by the morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? That fast?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but in the mean-time it still freaking hurts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her eyes. Danny hovered awkwardly. “Do… you want to eat something? We never did dinner, right? Just the fries... I’ll make something or… actually Sam’s mom probably took our kitchen ware so I’ll order something if you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. There’s a Chinese place that delivers that I like.” She pulled out her phone and navigated to their online store. Danny sat on the bed beside her and they picked out entrees and sides. They threw in a few cream puffs and Danny insisted on paying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily the TV in Danny’s room was still there, and he sat in his desk chair while they settled on something to watch. Valerie didn’t care for superhero movies, and Danny point blank refused to sit through any romance at the moment, so they settled on a cartoon about a ghost fighting teenager instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An episode in, Danny was out in the living room getting Valerie fresh ice for her wrist and stomach, when there was a knock at the door. He retrieved their food, and brought it to the kitchen to dole out portions onto plates. He used the moment alone to think, and to plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie would be down at least a day. He’d learned today that he quite liked having a partner when dealing with these things. He still wanted to look around the bookstore, even more now he knew a vampire was inside, but they already knew Valerie’s face, and Danny wasn’t sure how long he could be that close to a Vampire without being noticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He set forks and chopsticks on their plates and took a moment to lean on the counter. He glanced toward the room. If Valerie could use that holding spell, they may be able to catch the Vampire and ask him some questions. What had they done to Thomas and why did they target him? If it had to do with his research, might he even know something about what Thomas had found?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny still didn’t know if it was good or bad results. For all he knew, even if he found out what Thomas had wanted to tell him, the answer may be that there was no solution for returning to normal. Danny sighed, and pushed away from the counter. He grabbed a couple beers Sam had left in the fridge, grabbed the plates in his other hand and moved back to the bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He and Valerie spent the rest of the day binging this cartoon they’d found, making commentary and cracking jokes. Valerie sipped at the one beer and water. By time he went to bed, Danny had slammed down the rest of the six pack plus half of another. Halfway through the second beer, he’d thought of Sam and how this was her favorite beer, and realized he really just wanted it all out of the fridge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Around ten, Valerie cut him off and sent him to bed. “I’m assuming you’re alive because you’re half Vampire, but I don’t actually want to find out the hard way what your limit is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Probably a good idea.” Danny sighed. He stood, and swayed a little. “I’ll be out on the sofa if you need me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Danny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny smiled, and went to flop on the sofa. He looked up at the ceiling and tried to sleep, but his mind drifted back to Sam over and over. He’d been with her since he was sixteen, known her since he was thirteen. Over ten years ago, now. And now it was over. Just like that. No real conversation. No real closure for him. He felt a lump rise in his throat and covered his eyes with his forearm in the dark. Valerie may still be awake, and he’d only known her a few days. He didn’t want her to hear him cry.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you again to the lovely Thejordanandhervices for agreeing to beta read for this project! :) &lt;3 you the best, girl  ---&gt; https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thejordanandhervices</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Research and Distraction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny and Valerie are making plans to continue their investigations when Sam comes around, wanting a word with Danny.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks once again to the ever lovely thejordanandhervices for Beta reading this story! You are an angel! <br/>Her page is here &gt; https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thejordanandhervices/pseuds/Thejordanandhervices</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Valerie lay in Danny’s bed for hours, listening to Danny in the other room. She was sure he didn’t know she could hear his breath hitch, and each time he got up to pace back and forth across the floor. Finally he got up and she heard the kitchen faucet turn on, probably washing his face. Soon after that he returned to the sofa, and she heard no more sound from him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned on her side. It wasn’t only the awkwardness of listening to his silent heartbreak that kept her up. She was uncomfortable sleeping in a stranger’s bed. The pain also didn’t help. Her wrist was throbbing and her stomach was no better. She’d taken pain medicine with her Chinese food, and it had helped a little, but the pain would get worse before it got better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she finally drifted off to sleep, the sky was already getting light outside. She awoke a mere four hours later as Danny opened a drawer on the dresser next to the bed. He was shirtless, wearing just a towel. When she realized what she was looking at, she immediately was overwhelmed by the idea she shouldn’t be staring. She turned over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused. “Valerie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny pushed the drawer closed quickly and disappeared into the bathroom attached to the bedroom.  Valerie sat up slowly a moment, still quite sore. She stood up, gingerly testing the range of motion in her wrist and in her abdomen. She was still visibly bruised but she could probably go about her day pretty normally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her phone buzzed, and Valerie reached for it, realizing that Danny had at some point put it on his charger for her. It was her father, asking if she could pick up some of the thicker bread and powdered sugar before she came home. She hesitated before she responded. If he wanted those, her father must be planning to make french toast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For most families it was a small thing, but theirs was not most families. That had been her mother’s favorite meal. Now it was saved for birthdays, holidays, their wedding anniversary and the anniversary of her death. It had become something special. Since her father had started dating this woman however, and discovered her favorite was also french toast, he made it for her every weekend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It bothered Valerie. It was theirs and it was special, but he shared it with this woman without her permission. Though, he didn’t really need her permission, did he? It was a pretty common food item, and they’d never discussed it being reserved for those occasions. It was just something they had done. She hadn’t said anything when she noticed it in a social media post. She was genuinely happy that he was happy, but this small thing still stung like betrayal when she gave it much thought. Then again, she went out hunting down creatures that could kill her and lied to him constantly to keep it from him, so who was she to be upset about “betrayal”?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Morning, Val.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was distracted from her thoughts as Danny spoke. He walked back into the room dressed for the day. He was wearing plain jeans and a t-shirt. His hair was still damp from the shower. He swept it back from his face as he sat on the edge of the bed near Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning.” Valerie quickly sent back a text agreeing to her father’s request and put down the phone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Was I too loud? Did I wake you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. I’m usually up around now anyway.” She turned and swung her legs off the side of the bed. She picked up the shirt she’d thrown off the night before, and saw it was ripped and covered in dirt. She pulled her kinky curls from the haphazard bun she’d pulled it all into the night before as she huffed. “You have a shirt I can borrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” Danny got up and moved to the same dresser he’d been digging in when Valerie woke. He dug for a minute through a couple drawers, pausing momentarily to glance over his shoulder at her and shaking his head once or twice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not picky,” she assured him. “I know you’re way bigger than me. It’s okay if it’s baggy.” Danny cringed. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m looking for something more plain. Most of what I have are graphic tees or wide neck tees that’ll just fall off you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>promise</span>
  </em>
  <span> I don’t care as much as you do. I just can’t go out in a bra. I mean, I can, but I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to.” Valerie stood up, and stepped next to Danny to look over his shoulder. She pulled out a plain black wide neck, long sleeved shirt, and slipped it on. As he’d said it would, it slipped, but she yanked it so it was only hanging off one shoulder and trotted out toward the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He followed after her, carrying her dropped top. “Should I wash this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “It’s ripped to all hell where that bitch got me. Just toss it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He complied, and hovered in the kitchen a while. Valerie plopped down on the sofa with her phone. She pulled up her to-do list, and scrolled through it. She’d started compiling it just the day before. Her notebook was a free-form hodgepodge of thoughts, doodles, and information. This list was a more focused list of next steps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Science building, bookstore, search books, Danny’s friend--email, stone--key(find the lock)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t a very long list unfortunately. She added “Danielle--find history, and Dad--get powder sugar and Texas bread” to the very end of it. Danny sat down as she finished this, and offered her a cup of coffee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thanks.” She smiled and took a sip while he blew on his to cool it. “Mmm,” she licked her lips and looked up at him in surprise. “Is this a caramel macchiato?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled too. “Please don’t be too impressed. I read it on the side of your drink at the campus cafe and I have a machine that does all the work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am still impressed. Those are some observation skills, my guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm..” He shrugged, then suddenly seemed a little forlorn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. How’s your arm? And your stomach. You look better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel better. They’re about healed. My wrist may have been legit broken, so it may take another day to be fully back in business. Then the first thing I’m gonna do is find that fucking hoe and lay that ass out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laughed. “Maybe you should leave her be?” Valerie cast him a withering look and held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just saying! I mean, she attacked you because she thought you may have killed a guy. She was wrong, and she </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> overreacted. She’s also… I think she’s really young. Like high school. So you know, maybe don’t… ‘lay her ass out?’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie stared at Danny with Narrowed eyes, and then relented. “Fine. I won’t go looking for her. But if the opportunity arises, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to fuck her up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Valerie smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny finished his coffee, despite the fact he started drinking after her, and took his empty mug to the sink to rinse it. Valerie watched him for a minute. He pushed up his sleeves  and hummed while he worked, eyes lowered to the sink and clearly preoccupied with unhappy thoughts. His frown deepened, he shut off the sink, and finally noticed Valerie looking at him. He looked a little taken aback and offered a small, crooked smile. He turned from her to pour them both bowls of cereal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie turned more completely toward him, leaning with her elbows on the back on the sofa. “Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looked down toward the sink again, and then abruptly toward the ceiling. After a moment he took a deep, shuddering breath. “Yeah… I just don’t want to think about her…” he cringed, as though trying to escape his own words, “or the breakup.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, alright. So what’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought about it, and I think you’re right. We probably shouldn’t hit up the bookstore again until we’re both able and ready to face a vampire, just in case. In the meantime, there’s a Vampire I know in city hall, Dorothea. She’s non-violent,” he added quickly as Valerie made a face. “She works with a blood donor place and when they get donations they can't actually use--the ones that would be destroyed otherwise--she takes it and feeds on it. She actually helped me a lot when I turned. Helped explain when I was confused and could hardly believe it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was skeptical, but she had no reason not to trust Danny’s judgement so far. The only problems were that if this woman was at city hall, not only would Valerie have to meet her unarmed, but she would have to take the chance of running into her father, as he worked there in the mayor’s office. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tapped her fingers on the sofa, considering. “A’ight. Why you wanna see her now? You think she knows something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. She may. She will have heard about the murder for sure. She’s closer to the Vampire community than I am. She keeps me informed if there are known Vampires coming into town and whether they’re safe for me to approach or if I should keep my distance. Doesn’t always make a difference since sometimes they come to me, but at least she tries to warn me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. “When you wanna go talk to her?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sooner rather than later. I’m worried about what Danielle said. I’ve been thinking that Sydney was probably the other TA and if he’s missing…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did Danielle say she was in contact with him about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don't remember if she did. I’m also kind of hoping we run into her again so I can ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie pulled out her phone and added to her to-do list. “We should check in with Tucker.” She said it out loud as she added it to the list. “And maybe see if we can’t find Danielle, or better yet, skip dealing with her and find Sydney instead. TAs at my online school have emails formatted ‘firstnamelastinitalTA_’ and then the class title. Is Amity University different?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it's similar. Something like, ‘firstnamelastnameTA’. I assume because some of them TA for more than one class? Tuck can wait. It’s Saturday. He’ll be gaming all day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie got up and joined Danny in the kitchen. They both leaned against the counters as they ate. “Then let’s start with seeing if we can find Sydney, let’s give like, a good hour, and then see about Dorothy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dorothea. I call her Dora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Course you do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny retrieved his laptop from his room and they returned to the sofa. Valerie looked over his shoulder, looking things up on her phone as needed. They went about searching for a while. They checked the student directory. Nothing. They tried to check by looking up specific professors  and found listed under Professor Turner: TAs--Thomas, A., Sydney, P. No emails listed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie hopped on several social media sites to try to locate any news stories or missing persons reports for anyone by that name. Nothing. No facebook. No instagram, Snap, “No nothing.” Valerie was a bit frustrated. “Who has nothing!? Every Vampire I’ve encountered had some online presence and some of them are literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>millennia </span>
  </em>
  <span>old! How old is this guy, 24?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laughed. “Some people are just technophobes or whatever. My Dad works with tech all day and he has a facebook and that’s it. And he hasn’t used it since he made it. His profile picture is a ten year old photo he printed and took a picture of with his phone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh. Ew. Okay, your dad wins the most Daddest of them all awards. My dad is all over everything. Probably to know what I’m doing. Speaking of…” Valerie crawled across the sofa toward Danny, and leaned close to him. He looked flustered as she approached, and she caught his eyes dip down before staring determinedly toward the ceiling. Then Valerie turned and leaned on his shoulder, holding her phone up at an angle. She gave the camera a kiss and a wink, as Danny turned back to her bemusedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gotta stay active. It’s important that if you don't want people knowing you hunt supernatural creatures in your free time, you should look as normal online as possible. And low key, Vampires are less likely to choose a high-profile target.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hadn’t thought of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snapped a few more, including one where Danny managed to smile when Valerie tousled his hair. Valerie leaned against Danny’s shoulder as she posted a few of the photos. Danny went into the app from his phone and followed her, then liked the photos. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went back to research and things were relatively quiet for a while longer. Then, “Ha!” Valerie sat up suddenly, and Danny jumped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I have him. This profile on this job listing site. Sydney Poindexter. Aged 24. Has job experience as a TA this current semester at Amity University! Yes!” Varlerie was bounding where she sat and slapping Danny’s arm excitedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed and shielded himself then pushed her down the sofa away from him. “Ow! Geez!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I was excited.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, just calm down, alright?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know, I said sorry, but look. Right under his name here: and address!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Incredulous, Danny took her hand as she still held her phone, and pulled it--and her--closer to look. “And if the work experience is current…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was glad for her dark skin, or he might notice the very slight blush rising in her cheeks.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...So is the address!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny seemed genuinely impressed. Then he paused and made a scrunched up face. “We just successfully cyber stalked a man to get his IRL location…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was struck with the same weird sense of pride and disappointment and mirrored his slump. “Ew, right? And it took us…” She checked her phone, “like fortyish minutes? And I feel like we didn’t have to dig all that deep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. We really didn’t huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie hopped off the sofa. She tested her wrist again. Just a dull ache now, like she’d jammed it taking a hard fall. It would be well enough to skate by her dad’s notice by the end of the day. She offered him her hand and a smile. “Come on. I’ll get my gear out of your car, and then we can head toward city hall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny perked up. “Oh yeah, what the hell? What did you mean it might </span>
  <em>
    <span>react</span>
  </em>
  <span> to me? Why do you hand it to me then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed, and looked up into his annoyed face. “I was just joking… mostly. My tattoo doesn’t react to you so why should my other weapons?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. “I want it all out of my car.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, that’s the plan.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie paused to pull on her boots and lagged behind Danny a few steps. When she stood up straight and followed him out, she called, “Hey, Danny, should we lock this?” She turned, and found  Danny had frozen a few steps down the stairs. Valerie looked a few steps beyond her and saw Sam, standing at the bottom of the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam caught sight of Valerie and her eyes flashed in just a way that told Valerie she recognized the shirt Valerie was wearing. Valerie crossed her arms. She didn’t want to make things worse for Danny by being combative but as the silence dragged on, she was starting to feel it inevitable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… she stayed the night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny opened his mouth to speak, but lost his nerve and took a step back up the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny, can’t we talk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I stayed the night,” Valerie jumped in when she saw Danny hesitate. It wasn’t really her business, she knew, but the way Sam looked her way with absolute disdain really irritated her. “He told you yesterday that I was injured.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t look injured to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie glanced at the gap in the curtains in the first floor apartment window. Valerie held up her tattooed hand and showed it to Sam. Sam seemed to get the message and crossed her arms. “Danny, I want to talk to </span>
  <em>
    <span>you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny still seemed a little stunned. “I,” he took a step toward Sam, and then paused. Valerie wasn’t sure what was running through his mind at that moment, but it was clear to her he wanted to talk with her. Maybe he thought they could fix things if they just talked it out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie didn’t know about the causes of the break up. She hadn’t thought it her place to ask, but looking at Danny struggling now, she was thinking that maybe she should have, if for no other reason than to be equipped to know if she should step in here or leave it be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it was, Valerie tossed her curls, and moved past Danny down the stairs. He jumped as she passed him, as if he’d forgotten she was there. Sam also stared at her, watching her descend the stairs with a wary look on her face. Valerie lifted her chin by a fraction of an inch as she passed Sam by without looking at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Valerie pursed at the bottom of the stairs and lifted her hand. “Toss me the keys, Dan? So I can get my things out of your car.” Valerie noted Sam’s slight eye twitch, and the way her head whipped from her to Danny and back. She’d noticed a similar eye twitch when Danny had called her Val when they met outside the bookstore. Bothering Sam after she had assumed Valerie to be some kind of post-breakup homewrecker or rebound was slightly satisfying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She held up her hand, and Danny seemed finally, to be broken loose from his spot on the stairs. He took a couple steps down as he dug in his pocket. He tossed Valerie the keys, and turned to Sam. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam… I don’t… want to talk to you… right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny, I just… I wanted to apologize for the way… I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> love you. I just want you to understand…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam!” Danny cut her off, and Valerie turned and started to walk to Danny’s car. She could still hear their slightly raised voices, but made an effort to tune it all out. It was none of her business. She concealed the gun in her waistband, under Danny’s shirt, grateful for how baggy it was on her, and grabbed up the rest. She moved to her car, and threw it all in the back seat except the gun. She didn't want it in view so she kept it in her waistband. Then she locked both cars, and sat sideways in the passenger seat of her car, with her legs outside it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulled out her phone and shot a text to Paulina and Star in a group message. She crossed her legs at the ankles, and folded her arms over her chest. If she thought she may have long to wait, however, she was wrong. Danny and Sam’s voices suddenly became audible, and Sam shouted, “...not even a day! Danny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember the other day when you said you sound like a crazy jealous bitch!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked up in time to see Sam raise her hand to slap Danny, and Danny caught her wrist. They stared at one another, before Danny said something to Sam and looked Valerie’s way. She waved to him. Danny let go-- almost tossed away Sam’s hand and started to walk toward Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sam caught him by the arm, she looked distraught, and so did Danny. He grit his teeth, and Valerie could see his resolve waning. Valerie thought about honking the horn, or blasting music, or something else incredibly petty, but she resisted. Finally Danny ripped his arm away, and jogged to Valerie’s side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up as he approached, and moved around to the driver’s side of the car. Danny slid in the passenger seat, and stared down at his hands as Valerie started the car. She pulled out of the lot and out onto the road. After a couple minutes, Danny said, “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t do anything. Actually, I was kind of rude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny sank low in his seat, fiddling with the seatbelt strap over his chest. “She started it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm hmm.” Danny looked sideways at Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t like being called Dan, by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t planning to keep it. It doesn’t suit you. I noticed she was annoyed you called me Val, so I called you Dan. What is her deal with nicknames?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny managed to laugh. “Fuck all if I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie handed Danny her phone after she unlocked it at a red light. “Can you put on my driving playlist?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny complied. It was full of mostly smooth R&amp;B jams and a few higher energy rap songs. They were also a few alternative tracks mixed in, and Danny said he recognized a few. Valerie tapped the steering wheel as Danny rested his head on his hand and stared out the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>About fifteen minutes of driving went by before Danny or Valerie spoke. “Where are we going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I texted my friends Paulina and Star.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny blushed. “Paulina? Not…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie laughed. “Oh, I forgot you went to school with her all four years of high school, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and had a massive crush on her almost the whole time. But every time I tried to make something happen with her I just embarrassed myself instead.” He groaned. “Why are you friends with her, and why did you text her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because my friend broke up with his girlfriend and needs to de-stress.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny crossed his arms. “I thought she was with a boyfriend or something all weekend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but I said she could bring him. You should text Tucker, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought we were going to ask Dora some questions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. Tomorrow. Maybe I was right when I said you should take a day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny leaned back in the seat, and then chuckled, and smiled. He shook his head. “Alright. You win. Day off it is. Where am I having Tuck meet us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paulina and I usually go bowling.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny crossed his arms. “Hard pass. It’s hard for me to pretend I have normal strength. Fifteen pounds and fifty pounds both feel like featherweights to me. Plus… Sam and I usually went for her birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Look some stuff up then.” Danny did, and listed their options. Valerie hummed a little to the music as he did so. “Mmm… Escape rooms seem like they would be fun. And maybe the roller rink after?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shrugged. “I’ve never done either. The escape rooms look Halloween themed because it’s next week. That would be cool to check out. I’d also be fine with drinks and a game night. I can’t get drunk, but I can still pretend to drown my sorrows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valeri shrugged. “Let’s have everyone meet at the escape room place, and we’ll go from there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny smiled and agreed to the plan, but it was a somewhat diminished smile versus the one she was used to. She gave him an encouraging smile back. “Wanna rap with me again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure?” Valerie switched to the song, and started to sing the hook, dancing, and bopping her head to the music. She elbowed him as the beast started to ramp up to the drop at the start of the rap verse. “Oh come on…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny groaned and smiled a little wider. When Danny didn’t start rapping, she belted it out in his stead, aiming her performance at him, though her eyes were still on the road. They hit a stop sign the same time she got a beat drop, and she started dancing energetically in her seat, snapping her fingers and bumping her shoulder against his. Danny laughed “You’re really not just gonna let me be miserable, huh? Won’t let me just let me wallow in my pain...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah. Not today, homie.” They pulled into the parking lot for the escape room. Danny and Valerie moved into the foyer area and sat down in chairs by the door to wait. Valerie looked around, and looked up at a large electronic menu board above the register on the other side of the waiting room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a larger building than expected. It seemed it was at one point a shopping center--perhaps a large chain grocery store that had closed--that had been converted to a series of rooms currently decked out in pumpkins, cobwebs and spiders, scarecrows, skeletons, and candlelight. There were six rooms, two easy, two medium, two hard. Each level had a scary room and a not so scary room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was looking up at the menu that outlined the rooms and themes within each. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and leaned on her shoulder. She looked at him, and he said, “Sorry. Just give me a minute. I promise I’ll try not to be this way all day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s alright.” Valerie sat back and crossed her arms. “It’s okay to be sad, Danny. If you really want to call it, and go home…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I want to hang out and… not think about her. I just… need a second first.” Valerie felt tears upon her shoulder, and leaned her head on his. She heard a barely audible sigh from Danny. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her eyes. “It’ll be alright, Danny.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Two Mirrors and an Arrow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny, Valerie and their friends put their heads together to solve a mystery and get out of an escape room.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>More excellent work on the beta read from thejordanandhervices &gt;&gt; https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thejordanandhervices  </p><p>Thank ya, pretty lady!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Paulina and Star arrived, Danny’s eyes were dry again, and he managed to smile as he said hello and reintroduced himself to them. Paulina explained her beau was absent because he was taking the time Paulina was out to go visit a friend. Tucker arrived a couple minutes later. He shook hands with the girls then wrapped an arm around Danny’s shoulder. “Hey, Danny, you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shoved his hands in his pockets, and nodded. “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker ruffled Danny’s hair, and their group moved toward the counter where the worker was waiting. He reminded Danny forcefully of a cherub. Round face and body, angelic curls, but when he spoke, her voice was extremely deep, and Danny had to stifle a snort of laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star giggled and looked over her shoulder at Danny. “Sorry,” he whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looped her arm through his, and seemed to hardly be listening to the employee explain the rules as she whispered to Danny, “We went to high school together, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember you. You didn’t have white hair then did you? How did you get it this bright white?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I didn’t. It’s a medical condition. It just turned white.” Danny caught out of the corner of his eye, Valerie as she bit her lip to keep from laughing. Had she known this would happen? Danny poked her in the small of the back, and she nudged him back with her elbow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, sorry. It suits you, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In front of them the employee explained their scenario, and the rules therin. “You guys are paranormal investigators and you wake up in a room with no memory of why you are there. You have an hour to figure out why you are there, and how to escape. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As part of the scenario you will encounter a few actors inside in costume. Please do not assault them. We get fear can make people do crazy things. No clue will require you to break things. If you have any difficulty in the room and want to end the scenario early, ring the buzzer inside the entrance door. There is no need to break it down. Basically, please don’t do anything that will raise our insurance premiums.” He finished with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their group laughed lightly at the joke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They followed the employee to the room, and Danny used the narrow hall as an excuse to extract his arm from Star’s grip. He lagged behind tying his shoe, until Tucker was between him and Star. He grimaced in Star’s direction when Tucker paused to look at him. Luckily, Tuck got the hint, and cracked a couple jokes to make her laugh and distract her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Knew she would.” Valerie whispered with a suppressed giggle. “She likes tall nerds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You knew? And you let it happen.” Danny shook his head, but he was smiling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I didn’t know if you’d go for it or not. Today is to cheer you up, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really think I’m that kind of guy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really, but it was at least as funny as I hoped it would be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You evil… you don’t even feel bad, do you?” Danny’s tone was chastising, but he was smiling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not even a little.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room their group was led to was smaller than Danny expected. They had chosen a room that was supposed to be of moderate difficulty and rated a ⅗ for scares. It was only about the size of his living room and kitchen put together. It was decked out in antique looking furniture, all black and trimmed with gold. There were small knick knacks all over--elaborate candle holders and candelabras on every surface. Not all them were holding candles, but all were dusty and dark. There was also a single dresser along one wall with nine drawers. On top, half charred papers spread out beneath a locked box about the size of a loaf of bread. Violin case stood empty in one corner near a charred and ash covered fireplace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker let out a low whistle, looking around. “Spared no expense, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haunted house?” Paulina whispered. She took a sidestep closer to Tucker, away from a giant faux spider web over a mirror with a blurry reflection of the room. The employee closed the door, and it locked. They were all pitched into semi-darkness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spread out over the room. “So, we’re supposed to find the key to the other door, right?” Paulina asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Valerie was looking through the papers on the dresser. “He said we need to find why we’re here. I assume that’ll tell us where the key is. Maybe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably,” Tucker shrugged. He was looking at the undersides of chairs in the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, Danny, have you done an escape room before?” Star asked. She was half-looking around, but mostly she was following Danny as he did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, once. With my sister and her fiancé.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jazz is getting married?” Paulina asked. Danny looked around to find her eyes focused on him, searching out new gossip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah. To Kwan. He also went to high school with us. Do you guys still talk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really. Most of our group split up after high school.” Paulina flipped through a book.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which one was Kwan?” Valerie asked. Danny turned to where she was leaning casually against a chair with her arms crossed and looking thoughtful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The big Asian kid that hung out with Dash.” Tucker supplied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The really nice, but really stupid one.” Paulina added. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny stifled a laugh. Kwan really could be summed by by the phrase, really dumb, but really nice. He treated Jazz well, and genuinely cared for her, so Danny didn’t mind. It had been funny when Jazz the academic prodigy had ended up with Kwan the kindly airhead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star persisted a while longer, asking Danny about himself and his interests, and Danny found she was quite nice, if a little forward. She at least seemed genuinely interested in his answers. Mostly Danny was torn between impressed she was so determined to apparently catch him on the rebound, and mildly annoyed she kept distracting him from the task at hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fifteen minutes after the start of the room, they hadn’t found anything. Then finally, “Ah.” They all turned to Paulina where she was kneeling near the violin case. “Found a letter in here.” She held it out to Valerie who read it out loud. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s countenance, once upon a time was sliver, now glass. Light shines upon, but through, it cannot pass. Clarity it gives, but in reverse. Strike it and risk the Seven Year Curse. Come find me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was momentary silence as everyone pondered the clue. Then Valerie snapped her fingers. “Mirror. Mirrors used to be made of silver and reflect things backward.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina knocked her forehead with the heel of her hand. “Seven years of bad luck. Duh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ooooh,” Star said, tossing her blond curls. “Mirrors are made of silver?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Used to be.” Tucker said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny moved in front of the mirror and examined it. He tested moving it, and found it was attached to the wall. The others crowded around him to look. He looked closely, along with Valerie and Paulina. Tucker hung back and looked in the area around the mirror instead. Valerie also tested the mirror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s attached.” Danny stood up tall to look down at the top of the mirror. Nothing still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe… Mirror is a codeword? Did anyone see anything that looked like a clue to unscramble a code?” Tucker looked to Valerie. “Maybe in the papers you were looking at?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe?” Valerie moved back to the papers. Paulina wandered over too. Danny looked more closely at the box that was on top of most of the papers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is all this?” Paulina read some excerpts from the pages in her hands. “‘I fear the comfort is gone, and I’ve begun to fear his madness.’, ‘It’s a curse! I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. The crucifix was aflame, I tell you. As he touched it, it was engulfed and turned to ash in his hand. My beloved, what’s happened to you? The wedding is only a fortnight away.’”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie chimed in from her own pages. “‘Oh, Beloved. My father has agreed to our union. I am anxious to be with you for the rest of my life’.” Valerie sat on the chair next to the dresser and crossed her legs. “I think it’s a diary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Parts of it are burned though,” Paulina observed. “There’s more burned pages in the fireplace, look. ‘I’ve been seen by Doctor Sutherford. I don’t think he believes me.’ It’s signed K.E.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, there was going to be a wedding,” Tucker said. “And there was also a demon possession? That’s… I mean that’s a plot twist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If her groom was possessed, did he kill her or something, then?” Danny asked. He reached over Valerie's shoulder for another page. She handed him a few, and he leaned against her chair while he looked through them, turning them over in his hands. He chuckled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just taking this all seriously, then I notice this is written on parchment paper from a craft store. My mom uses the same paper for her scrapbooking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all laughed. “That’s true!” Star laughed a little harder than need be, Danny thought. It wasn’t that good a joke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so, according to all this, she was getting married to a guy we’re pretty sure is possessed. The entries stop the night before the wedding. So… what happened?” Danny asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m guessing murder is right, based on context?” Valerie gestured around the room. Haunted looking room is haunted. Danny smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seems likely, yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a loud pounding on the walls around them. They all jumped, except Valerie, Danny noticed, who turned to the wall that was the source instead. He saw her tattooed hand twitch. He also turned an ear toward it and heard someone quickly walking away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny turned to smile at Valerie, and suddenly her chair was sliding with her in it across the floor. Valerie gasped, Tucker and Star yelped, and Paulina and Danny jumped for her. Danny was of course faster, and had Valerie up in his arms as the chair sailed against the wall. It bumped the wall lightly, and shook for a moment before coming to a stop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was staring at it. “That…” Tucker started with a shaky laugh. “That got me. This shit is elaborate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Paulina put her hand to her chest, and moved closer to Danny who was still holding Valerie. “So does that mean this place is haunted?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably,” Valerie tapped Danny’s chest with her knuckles, and he moved to put her down. He snatched her up again just as quickly when a book flew off the shelf behind her, narrowly missing her head.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goddamn!” Danny retreated with Valerie, Paulina held to his arm and followed. “Are they targeting you!?” Danny asked incredulously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean… probably not? But it kinda feels that way.” Valerie’s pulse was just a tad quicker than her baseline, enough to tell Danny she had been startled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” Tucker asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m okay,” Valerie said. She indicated again that Danny could release her, and though he did so, he stuck close beside her anyway, just in case. “So back to clues. We only have like 40 minutes left. So the mirror. What about the mirror?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s gotta be haunted right?” Paulina side stepped away from it. “We’re ghost hunters, he said.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Paranormal investigators,” Tucker corrected. When Danny looked at him, he added, “They’re not the same thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all turned to look at it again, and froze. Star screamed. Upon the glass, writing was appearing. Like when written into a frosty window pane in winter. It read, “K. E.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie plucked the page from the floor again. “K.E. also signed this thing. About a doctor visit here. Parts are burned.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So there’s a ghost.” Paulina ticked off their clues on her fingers. “It’s probably in the mirror. Maybe it’s K. E.? So what now? Was that what we needed to find out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, no. Because we’re paranormal investigators. That’s probably why we’re here, but now we need to get out.” Tucker gestured to the mirror. “If it can talk, should we just ask it how?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star turned to the mirror, “How do we get out of the room, ghost?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nothing happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know how to get out of the room?” Danny asked the mirror. The writing started again. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star clapped her hands. “How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause, then the writing came, </span>
  <em>
    <span>who am I?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you K. E?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was no response. “Do we need to know what K.E. stands for?” Paulina asked. Valerie moved back toward the papers and started shuffling through them, looking for a name. The girls moved to help her. Danny picked up the book that had come off the shelf, and Tucker looked at it over his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is that?” Valerie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The book that came down. It looks like it’s kinda random. It’s all latin.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I think it’s a textbook.” Tucker said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Oh! Found it!” Star was bouncing excitedly on her haunches. Valerie and Paulina crouched beside her to see. Star pointed to the bottom of another burned page. “Katherine Elizabeth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait a moment…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star turned to the mirror. “Are you Katherine Elizabeth?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was silence, and then there was another round of banging on all the walls. Several pieces of furniture shook violently. Candles toppled, and more books fell off the shelf. Then everything stopped, and there was more writing on the mirror. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Proditione.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Star looked at Paulina. “Is it spanish?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Paulina shook her head. “I don’t know what language that is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny stared at the word, then suddenly something clicked, and Danny gasped. He held up the book. “Latin? Maybe?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He started to look through the book for a translation, when at the same time, Star and Tucker said, “Betrayal.” They were looking at their phones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ominous.” Valerie chuckled. “So maybe Katherine betrayed someone? Or was betrayed? How?” She shifted more papers, and then picked up the locked box on the dresser. “Is there a key for this?” Everyone shook their heads and answered in the negative. “Why is it always a key we’re missing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie whispered it so quietly, Danny knew he was the only one to hear. He smiled, and caught her eye. The stone, the metal… yeah, it seemed they were always in need of a key for a lock or a lock for the key they’d found. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all searched in silence. The clock was ticking down, and they were starting to feel the pressure, the need for success. Paulina was sitting in Valerie’s vacated chair, her leg bouncing as she flipped through page after page. Star was searching the room again. Danny was still looking through the book he’d found. Tucker was checking the mirror again. Valerie, Danny noticed, was flipping back and forth between just a couple pages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moved toward her where she sat on the floor and squatted next to her. “Anything interesting over here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope. But I feel like…” She pushed her mass of curls back from her face. “I feel like it's here somewhere. I’m looking for any bit that looks like it could hint at a betrayal.” She turned between the pages again. “I feel like there’s something…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looked at the pages, he grabbed her wrist and turned it to read the page she held. “This is the one about the doctor, right?” He looked at it, and saw it was formatted differently than the other pages Valerie had. “Is this from the diary, or a letter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked up at him, wide eyed. A grin slowly spread over her face, and she started to bounce excitedly where she sat, and swatted at Danny’s arm again. “Oh! Oh! Oh! That’s gotta be it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow!” Danny said, chuckling and grabbing her hand to stop the happy arm slaps. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie crawled past Danny the couple feet to the mirror, and said, “Was Katherine sick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait!” It clicked for Danny. There had been no possession. The note mentioned a doctor, and further down the page, barely visible. Sanatorium. “So Katherine was committed? Maybe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “All the burned pages are letters from the doctors. It was the proof she was crazy. But her journal talking about possession and shit was fine because...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because she’s the one that burned it.” Tucker chimed in. “So she killed this guy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did Katherine kill you?” Star asked the mirror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Who am I?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>They all thought. There was a chime that made them jump overhead. “That’s the signal for five minutes, I think,” Star said. Danny was amused that she remembered. She’d been distracting him thoroughly at that point in the instructions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quick! Quick!” Paulina waved her arms and jumped up and down a bit. “What was his name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it anywhere?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone jumped to the letters and pages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing!” Star said grumpily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nada here either.” Tucker looked put out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, Valerie’s face lit up, and she jumped over Danny as the warning bell chimed for three minutes. She snatched up the latin book, and flipped it open to the inside cover. “Joseph Millerson!” She shouted to the Mirror. “You’re Joe! Katherine was your fiance, right? And she killed you because you were going to have her committed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A pause. The mirror shone a bit from behind the glass, and a blurry image of a man in period dress appeared on the other side. He watched them, mostly in shadow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do we get out, Joe?” The chime sounded for one minute.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joseph waved a hand toward the box near Valerie’s knees, and it clicked. Paulina snatched it up, popped the lid open, and grabbed the key from inside. They dashed to the door, and with twenty seconds to spare, they unlocked and barrelled out of the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They cheered. Valerie and Paulina hugged and jumped up and down in joy. Tucker hooked and arm each around Star and Danny, and exclaimed his excitement. Danny was smiling wide, a hand to his chest in relief. He tapped Valerie and Paulina on the shoulder, and they turned and joined in on a group hug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a small smattering of applause beside them, and an employee entered through a door well disguised into the wall. Behind them was a line of three doors in addition to the one they’d exited. Danny assumed they were the exits to some of the other rooms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny only now took a moment to look around the new room. It was decorated as lavishly as the lobby, but this area was clearly meant to be the edge of a “cornfield”. The wall before them was painted like one, with realistic cornstalks and bits of fence attached to the wall to complete the illusion. There was a large scarecrow looking over them that reached from ceiling to floor. It smiled down upon them with  a stitched up mouth, and beady black eyes.  It swayed a little in the air conditioning draft, and the effect was very unsettling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Congratulations!” The employee nearest them exclaimed. The girl next to her went around, and handed each of them a t-shirt and goodie bag full of sweets, decorative pins, and a few other goodies branded with the escape room logo. “You guys just barely made it out of our Victorian Ghost Room! You guys did really well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That room only has a clear rate of about 41%.”another employee chimed in. “Everyone gets stuck after they guess the mirror and when the knocking starts. Not everyone thinks to look at the book that comes off the shelf first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You guys have a chance for one additional prize, if you want.” She gestured to the gap in the “cornfield wall.” “You can go in there. It’s a maze. It takes most people about thirty minutes to clear, and the clear rate is even lower than this room, about 25%. If you make it though, you get free ice cream and Pizza on us, and an additional goodie bag. Plus if you’re interested there’s a few kind of behind-the-scenes displays for each of the rooms. You can see the antiques that inspired each room, the writers have all written little things about the process, other cool stuff like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina turned to the group. “I wanna do it,” she smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Danny smiled. “I’m game.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone else agreed also, and before they got started, Valerie and Paulina paused to take photos with everyone. The employees took one for them, they took group selfies and with a few people at a time, then, they all readied themselves to enter the dark maze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie led the way in. It was easy to see after only ten minutes of walking why people often got lost in here. This was the bulk of the space in the place. There were areas that lead up and down short flights of stairs. Locked doors and gates that meant they had to turn around and everywhere they walked footsteps seemed to be following that weren’t from their group. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny could tell the noise was coming from a carefully hidden system of speakers the same way he could spot the hidden security cameras every few feet. He looked around like the others with interest at first. After another ten minutes walking nearly everyone seemed to be getting antsy. Everyone except Valerie. He spotted her glance down at her tattoo, before confidently leading everyone right at a fork, ignoring when Star said, “Hey!” as she had tried going left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another three minutes and Star was complaining loudly about her feet hurting and everyone paused. Danny moved to stand next to Valerie and whispered, “Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie smiled slyly and shrugged. “I saw nothing that said we can’t use a compass.” She pulled out her hand to show him, and even in the dark his Vampire eyes could see the lines of her tattoo twisting themselves up to form an N. It was near her middle knuckle, until Valerie shifted her hand and it moved around the tattoo, maintaining its bearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was impressed. “Nice.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shrugged. “I want ice cream and pizza, and I don’t want to take an hour and a half to get to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get going, Star, I’m tired.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But my feet huuuurt.” Star whined. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll carry you, Danny offered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny smiled. “Yeah sure. Why not?” He crouched before her, and she climbed on his back for a piggy back ride. They walked on, Valerie leading the way with her magic guide keeping them on track, only having to backtrack for a locked gate and a scarecrow in one path that looked, unfortunately, to be human and whom Paulina refused to walk by. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They came to the end of the maze approximately twenty minutes after entering it. Star jumped from Danny’s back to collect her voucher and goodie bag from the employees waiting there. “That was quick!” one guy said. “I don’t think I’ve seen such a big group clear it so fast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a good sense of direction,” Valerie said with a sweet smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another employee directed them toward a large door that led to a short hallway. “That way to the exit. The behind-the-scenes displays are on either side as you leave. Synthia is waiting at the door to give you guys your vouchers for the food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone chattered idly as they made their way to the exit. Danny stepped into the hall, and froze. The display for their room was at the end. It was set up to look like a vanity in use. A snapshot in time. Hair brushes and combs, pearls, diamond rings, and a wig stand with a large powdered wig on it all stood reflected in a large cracked mirror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie gave Danny a look that told him she’d realized what he had. That mirror was an antique. Antique mirrors may be made of silver. Vampires didn’t have reflections in silver mirrors. Would Danny have a reflection?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His heart was pounding, as he paused to tie his shoe, trying to think of something. What would he do if Paulina or Star noticed something was up? The group slowed to wait for Danny, to his dismay. Out of the corner of his eye, Danny saw Valerie catch Tucker’s sleeve. She whispered, so only Danny and Tucker could hear. It was an explanation about the silver and reflection issue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker nodded once, and started cracking jokes at rapid speed. Paulina and Star were laughing hard, and drifted up the hall with him and away from Danny and Valerie. By time Danny and Valerie reached the exhibit, the others were  already through the door.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Danny’s heart was pounding. What would he see? Nothing? Perhaps just half his organs, floating mid-air. Danny shook his head to chase away the disturbing thought.  He paused beside it, took a deep breath, and turned to look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw… himself. His jaw dropped, and beside him, Valerie’s eyes widened. She glanced quickly between him and the mirror and nudged him with her arm. “You okay?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny couldn’t speak. He was transfixed, shocked, and took a step closer. He put out his hand. He couldn’t touch the mirror, as it was behind glass, so he could only stare at the familiar man behind the glass. He had the same almond eyes as Danny. The same haircut, the same outfit… but he had eyes that were bright blue, like Danny’s father. His skin was a touch warmer, with flushed cheeks below tousled black hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny raised a hand to touch his pale cheek, and the reflection touched his pink tinged one. Valerie was staring also, but at the Danny beside her. She gripped his arm at the elbow, and Danny suddenly became aware she had been calling him. “Danny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You shouldn't dwell. This isn’t you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it could have been… It could be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s not. Staring at pictures of my mom looking healthy when she was in the hospital just made me more angry when she didn’t get better. It also didn’t help her when I was just so focused on how she should feel better, get better, there had to be a way for her to get better.” Danny finally tore his gaze away from his own blue eyes and turned to look at Valerie. “But there wasn’t, and instead of trying to enjoy the last days I’d ever have with her, I was searching for answers that wouldn’t help anything even if I found them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice had wavered ever so slightly, but her eyes were steady, focused hard on him. Danny reached down and grabbed her hand. He couldn’t bring himself to answer her. She had a good point there, but he couldn’t accept that. If there was a way to be human again, he had to know. He glanced again at his reflection before he allowed Valerie to lead him away by the hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They collected their vouchers and prize bags at the door, and joined Tucker, Paulina and Star where they were waiting around the corner of the building. With every step, Danny’s resolve grew stronger. He would go to the bookstore tomorrow, and he would find out what Thomas had meant to tell him. Good or bad, he just had to know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie pulled her hand from his as they neared their friends, and he was startled from his thoughts by the motion. He’d forgotten they were holding hands at all until they weren’t. Valerie placed her hand on Tucker’s shoulders where he sat on the curb, and leaned onto him. “So, what now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker shrugged under her hands. And Star mimicked his motion. She was texting on her phone, and not much paying attention anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My place for a movie?” Paulina suggested. “I still have a bunch of alcohol and stuff if someone wants to stop and grab snacks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can.” Valerie volunteered. “And I wanna play a game or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have any games.” Paulina said. “I have netflix and dvds.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a bunch of board and card games I can bring over,” Danny said, raising his hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have Mario Kart.” Tucker offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mario Kart.” Star and Paulina voted at once.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was a little annoyed. “There is nothing wrong with board games.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but Mario Kart, man.” Tucker laughed when Danny crossed his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny turned to Valerie. “You agree, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie cringed. “Well…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re kidding me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina scoffed. “Are you joking? Valerie is vicious at Mario Kart, Mario Party, whatever. No one can beat her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie laughed and brushed fake dust off her shoulder. “Ah, well, uh… get good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A breeze blew across them, and Danny caught a scent that distracted him. He caught Valerie by the arm. She looked up at him, startled, then seemed to realize why he had grabbed her. She pulled her arm away and looped hers through his instead. “Let’s go,” She said. “It’s getting cold outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. See you guys soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone moved toward the cars they came in. Valerie and Danny got in, waved everyone off, and waited. When Tucker and Paulina pulled out of the lot ahead of them, Danny circled back and parked again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They got out and walked in the direction that Danny had gotten the smell from, as Valerie asked, “Danny what are we looking for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They rounded the corner of the building the escape rooms were in, and found themselves in a small concrete area lined on one side by a chain link fence. There was a tall stack of wooden palettes up against the side of the building and not much else there aside from a few puddles of standing water, no doubt formed from the rain over the last few days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny slowed to almost a tip toe as he approached the stack of palettes. Valerie reached under her shirt, and gripped her gun, still tucked in her waistband. She looked at her tattoo, then looked confusedly at Danny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle,” Danny called out. Valerie halted in place, and backed up a step. She crossed her arms and looked suddenly pissed off. Danny offered her a nervous smile he hoped was reassuring, then called again. “Danielle, you’re there right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still following people?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie flipped the bird back, though Danielle couldn’t see it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you just come talk to us? We told you we wouldn’t hunt you if you meant no harm.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Danny moved around the palette, Danielle responded. “That had been th-the plan. Turns out I wasn’t the o-only one following you...” She looked up at Danny, then gritted her teeth and focused on breathing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s eyes widened and he froze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie, seeming concerned by Danny’s reaction, moved to stand beside him, and for a moment, they both stared in horror. Danielle sat slumped against the pile. Her lip was busted, and a spectacular bruise was forming near her chin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had stripped her hoodie, and was pressing it to either side of her calf, which was bleeding where a long arrow was piercing through it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Danielle, Dora, and Leftover Chinese</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny and Valerie help Danielle and she helps them by giving them another lead.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again beta read by the lovely thjordanandhervices &gt;&gt; https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thejordanandhervices &lt;&lt;</p>
<p>&lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Valerie’s mind was reeling. A Vampire had to have done this. Danielle was strong enough, fast enough; there was no other explanation. Valerie’s instincts told her it was Skulker, it had to be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny knelt beside Danielle, and reached for the arrow. “Should I… pull it out?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet.” Valerie stepped closer, and knelt down also. She grabbed the arrow, and held it steady. “Look here, at the shaft. It’s barbed. Use your claws to cut it here...and here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh…” Danny held up his hand, but hesitated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just do it,” Danielle ground out. She leaned back, covering her eyes with her forearm and biting her lip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny took a deep breath and did as he was told. He cut the arrow so only a few inches hung off either side of the wound. Danielle cried out, and pulled away from Valerie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold still. We can get it out for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle scoffed. “This payback for before? Why didn’t you just pull it out then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have to pull it out in the direction of the barbs. A couple inches is easier to handle, or do you think you could handle Danny pushing a foot and a half more of the arrow through your leg?” Danny grabbed Valerie’s arm as she pushed up her sleeves and reached again for Danielle’s leg.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure you know what you’re doing, right?” He asked nervously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’ve been attacked by Vampires that got a hold of my stake before I could kill them first. This was before I learned about the silver thing. When I was just starting out.” She showed her forearm to Danny, and under the lines of the tattoo, he could make out a round scar about the size of a quarter in diameter. “I told Daddy I got it hiking. I got the stake out okay that time, but I researched what to do if it ever happened again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Has it?” Danielle asked. She was eyeing the scar as well where she lay. “I’m not sure how I feel about this if you haven’t even practiced it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Prefer we drop you at the hospital? What’s your plan for when they get it out and your wound closes in seconds? You know how to glamour people?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle flipped Valerie her middle finger, then buried her face in her hands. “Whatever. I want it out,” she mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lay back against the wall as Valerie paused to wrap her hand in Danielle’s hoodie to protect her hand from the barbs when she grabbed the remnants of the arrow. Once again Valerie reached for the bit of wood. She caught Danny’s eye, and mouthed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>be ready.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He clearly didn’t know what for, but he nodded, and stood behind her. Valerie waited until Danny was in position, then grabbed the arrow. Danielle had her eyes squeezed shut, and Valerie supposed that was why Danny had missed the sign. She had noticed, at least, Danielle’s canines had elongated into fangs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was pause and then Valerie yanked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The arrow came free in one go. Danielle screamed. Her eyes flew open, and Danny gasped when he saw they were red. Danielle snarled, and lunged for Valerie. Valerie, ready for it, dodged the attack. Danny grabbed Danielle from behind, placing her in a headlock. She fought, and Valerie lifted her hand, ready with a spell if she got loose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Calm down!” Danny yelled and Danielle struggled against his grip. Valerie looked at her leg, and saw it seemed to be healing, but slower than she would have expected. Danielle closed her eyes, and stopped struggling against Danny. She took several deep breaths and Valerie watched her fangs start to shrink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When her eyes fluttered open, they were green again. She looked tired, and to Valerie’s surprise, embarrassed. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I didn’t mean to…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You lost a bit of blood. I was surprised you didn’t attack me when you saw me. You have pretty impressive self control.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ghost of a smile passed over Danielle’s face before it returned to being pinched and drawn. Danielle seemed to be in a bit less pain already, though. She didn’t protest when Danny lifted her bridal style into his arms and carefully carried her back around to the car. Valerie hopped behind the wheel, and Danny settled in the backseat with Danielle. Danny wrapped her leg in her hoodie to staunch the bleeding. He looked pale as she did, and Valerie watched him with concern a moment in the rearview.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you taking me?” Danielle asked after a while.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Back to Danny’s.” Valerie answered. “Did you see who did this to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I was about to call Danial when I realized someone else was already there. I think they noticed me react to them, and I was shot before I knew what was going on. I got away.. Around the side of the building, but it hurt and I couldn't get any further. You guys found me maybe five minutes after it happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> She was resting against Danny’s chest, and though her tone was rough, Valerie saw she held tight to Danny’s hand, and gritted her teeth everytime the car hit a bump.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they drove, Danny’s phone rang. “Shit! I forgot about Tucker and the rest.” Danny looked a little flustered. “What should I say?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie looked in the rearview between Danny and Danielle. Both with black and white hair. Both had green eyes. Even their features were similar. “Say a cousin came into town, and your parents asked you to pick them up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” Danielle scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny also seemed unsure the story would pass, but when he answered the phone, he echoed the tale to Paulina anyway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You guys should have called! Geez!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever,” Star said in the background. “We’ll just hang out with Tucker without you guys.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m really, really sorry,” Danny repeated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He disconnected after a moment and asked, “You okay, Danielle?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie checked on Danielle again in the rearview as they pulled into Danny’s parking lot. She parked as close as she could to the stairs.  Danielle was still looking pale as Danny pulled her from the car and jogged up his apartment steps. Valerie followed along slower, pausing at the bottom of the steps. Danielle had been attacked while following Danny, Valerie, or both of them. She had been prevented from making contact. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only reason they found her instead was because Danny had caught the scent of her blood. Questions whizzed around in Valerie’s head. How long had they been followed? Which one of them was being followed? By who? She guessed it was the giant, or the Vampire from the bookstore. Why attack Danielle then? If it was to prevent them meeting, why not kill her or take her? Why had Danny been able to simply follow the trail to her? Or had Danielle been bait?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Had the Vampire simply thought Danielle a competitor, and abandoned her when he realized that was not the case? Had he been watching when Danny and Valerie found Danielle? Was he watching now?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie climbed the stairs and paused again at the top outside Danny’s door. She muttered the spell under her breath. A spell to close off Danny’s apartment to monitoring by spell. If he had the place electronically bugged, Valerie would find them. If he was watching via any kind of magic… he could no longer see.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie wasn’t satisfied. That their enemy was aware of their movements had her on edge. They needed to make a move. She needed to make a move. She flexed her previously broken hand. Danielle’s blood was still upon it. She flexed her fingers again. She was fully healed. She would help Danielle settle, and whether Danny was along for the ride tonight or not, she was going to act. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Valerie went inside, Danny had Danielle laying across the sofa with her leg elevated. Danielle was looking a bit out of it, more tired than ever, and her eyes were half lidded. Danny was sitting on the coffee table beside her, whispering to her. He paused when Valerie approached. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie suddenly became aware her expression must have been echoing her thoughts as Danny stood up abruptly. “What are you thinking?” His tone wasn’t admonishing. It was concerning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “We have a dead guy, two keys with no locks, a website we can’t get into yet, and the knowledge of two Vampires in amity. One was at our crime scene, but hasn’t shown hostility to us directly. The other is definitely hostile but not our killer. They’re linked by the symbol on the ‘keys’ we found at each scene. Oh yeah,” she gestured toward Danielle, who was watching her speak. “And maybe one more dead guy who knew our first dead guy. He’s at least missing. Right now, I will assume he’s dead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “Yeah. that’s about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie threw her hands up in frustration then crossed her arms and started to pace. “They have the answers to all of those questions, and they may know exactly what we know. And I don’t like it.” She paused. “I’m going to that bookstore. There’s a backroom that I know a Vampire was in, but I couldn’t sense him in there. I got a signal that magic was being used when the door opened and closed. When I get in there, I’m going to find a Vampire that I can ask questions, or I’m going to find that they’re hiding something in there.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. He moved around the sofa and positioned himself between Valerie and the door as if he meant to block her when she moved toward it. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I mean, you just said we know about two Vampires. What if you get in there, and they’re both there. The giant </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one that can fly? You saying you can take on two fully grown Vampires alone?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie crossed her arms. “I’m feeling like you’re underestimating me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not… look… I’m just saying that,” he looked somewhat at a loss, almost nervous, then he said, in a rush, “You got caught off guard by Danielle. I could beat Danielle, and Skulker could </span>
  <em>
    <span>crush </span>
  </em>
  <span>me. What are you gonna do against Skulker plus another Vampire? Especially since apparently one of them managed to attack Danielle right outside a building we were in without your tattoo detecting them at all?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie crossed her arms. “I’ve been off guard alot lately, huh?” She leaned against the back of the sofa. “I promise it won’t happen again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even so…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not about brute strength, Danny. You’re stronger than Danielle, but if I hadn’t been there to help with strategy, she would have gotten the better of you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would have kicked your pale ass to Wisconsin and back,” Danielle added with a huff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny scowled at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I work smarter, not harder against opponents stronger than me.” She held up her arm again and pointed to the scar she’d shown him. “This guy was strong enough to put a stake through my arm. You think he lived to tell the tale?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was silence. Danny licked his lips nervously, and seemed to be casting around for another reason to get her to give up her plan.  She moved to the kitchen and started washing her hands. Danny blanched as he saw the blood rinsing off down the sink. Valerie made a mental note: Vampire--or at least mixed Vampire--blood did not entice Danny either. She blew out a sigh and patted Danny’s back. He seemed surprised. “You can calm down, Danny. I at least see your point about not knowing what I was walking into. I admit I got a little hotheaded. I won’t go do anything tonight, alright? I cast a protection spell over your apartment so no one can watch inside. We’ll take tonight to figure it out. But I’m going in tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny closed his eyes a moment, and took a deep breath. “Then I’ll go with you.” He glanced toward Danielle’s leg. “I’ll back you up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie smiled. “Partner?” she offered her hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thought we kinda already were.” Danny took her hand anyway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Officially, though,” Valerie laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded, and managed a smile as well. He reached over Valerie and grabbed down three mugs from the cabinet. “Hot chocolate?” He asked the girls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, thanks,” Valerie said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle raised her hand from the sofa. “Food.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “I have left over chinese here if you want that. Valerie?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure.” She moved to the bedroom and called over her shoulder, “I’m gonna find a shirt to wear to bed and take a shower if that’s cool.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Towels are in the cabinet next to the shower.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie stood under the hot water for a long time. She was still thinking, wondering if she should just wait for Danny to go to sleep and then head out anyway. By time she stepped out of the shower, she’d decided against it.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stepped out of the shower, and pulled on an old Nickelodeon T-shirt and went commando under black lounge pants she’d found. She’d just agreed to a real partnership with Danny. She’d only ever worked alone before, but as long as he was really ready to be as dedicated as her, she was willing to trust him. She’d at least give it until Halloween. Just a week and a half away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After that Danny would be back in school the rest of the semester, and she would basically be on her own anyway. She doubted they’d make much progress in that time without confronting one or both of the Vampires. She had a feeling if they didn’t the Vampires would come find them first anyway. If those ‘keys’ were dropped by the Vampires, then there was every chance that they would come looking for them when they realized they were gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Valerie stepped out of the shower she suddenly remembered her dad’s text asking her to pick up groceries. She sent him a brief text explaining that Danny had needed a ride to the airport to pick up his cousin. She said she volunteered to pay him back for the ride before and forgot. She apologized and asked if he still needed them tomorrow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He texted back as she was towel drying her hair a bit that his girlfriend had gotten the ingredients for him instead, and thanked her for checking in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie added some of Danny’s conditioner to her hair and pulled it into a messy braid over one shoulder. When she returned to the living room, Danny had a plate of food waiting for her too. “We really over ordered yesterday,” Danny said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie sat down on the chair near the TV. Danny was sitting on the floor in front of the sofa. Looked like he’d already finished eating. Danielle had also eaten, and apparently had fallen asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny seemed hesitant about something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We…” he fidgeted with his mug. “We agreed before that we should hold off on the bookstore ‘til we were both ready.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. You were distracted. I was crippled. The situation has changed and I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting anymore. We need to make a move forward before they do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, I agree we can’t just leave the situation as it is, but I think there are other avenues to go down. I still want to talk to Dora and we have Sydney’s address. Why don’t we check those things out, since we’re less likely to get attacked doing them?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danny, one or both of us are being followed. And we’re being followed by one, possibly two Vampires. One of whom already tried to kill you for reasons unknown. It’s in our best interest to do what we can to eliminate the threat that’s most pressing wouldn’t you agree?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Normally, maybe, but there’s too much we don’t know. I want more information.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> will get us more information.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Or it will get you hurt or killed! Please, Valerie.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danny, the only reason I came back to town was to catch this killer. I know where it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I… I want to catch them too, but I also want to figure out what it was Thomas had to tell me, and what the  Vampires want. Even if you’re right, and you go in and kill the vamp right away, I may not get the information I want if we go charging in without knowing anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie tapped her finger on the arm of her chair. Danny still looked nervous. Valerie wondered why. What did he think she was going to do. “I think saving lives is the most important thing, Danny. I understand your goal. I’m sorry if I was harsh with you when we were standing in that mirror, but I stand by the thought behind it. This is what you are. I think honestly, that you're setting yourself up for disappointment by focusing too hard on finding a way to go back. I’ve never heard of Vampirism being reversed in general. As far as I know it is a permanent change. Sure, your specific constitution is also new to me… but I see nothing about it that would make the change reversible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny hung his head. “I still…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie sighed and nudged Danny with her foot. He looked up at her. “I get it. Fine. We’ll also do what we can to find out what Thomas wanted to tell you, but do me a favor and temper your expectations, alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “Sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie was surprised. “Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For making this… about me. You're right. A man, maybe two men are dead, but I’m…” He shrugged. “I’m making it about me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, to be fair, the giant tried to kill you too. And let’s not forget now we’re being stalked.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny just shrugged again. Valerie wasn’t sure what to do with this moping version of Danny.  He rested his head on the table, and Valerie, unsure of what to say or do, just reached over, and ran her fingers through his hair a while. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> That night Valerie ended up staying over again when her Dad said he was going out overnight to the Casino with his girlfriend. Danielle was showing signs of having been poisoned, and Valerie was more knowledgeable about such things. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie was confident Danielle’s system would burn through the poison quickly, and she assured Danny of as much, but the fact their stalker used poison at all had her worried. If it could slow down a vampire, it would probably kill a human. Valerie was resistant to many Vampire tricks, but that was not one in her repertoire. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny slept on the floor next to Danielle and insisted Valerie take the bed again. She woke every few hours to get Danielle to drink some water, and by her last check in around six in the morning, Danielle was sleeping soundly. Danny had been asleep since her first check in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She finally crashed back into bed herself, and woke much later, around two in the afternoon. She found once again, Danny had placed her phone on a charger, and had also apparently cleaned her clothes. They were folded and waiting for her on top of the dresser with another wide necked shirt--this one sky blue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she moved to the living room, Danielle was lounging on the sofa, zoned out watching a disney movie, and Danny was in the kitchen. He seemed to have heard her coming, because when he turned to her, he had prepared three plates of grilled cheese. He offered one to Valerie with a smile, and slid the other on the counter. “Food’s done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle hopped over the back of the sofa and grabbed her plate. Then she leapt back over the sofa the other way with her food in hand. She said not a word of thanks and Sam glared after her, though Danny didn’t seem bothered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you for cooking, Danny.” Valerie said pointedly. Danielle raised her middle finger without turning to look and then kept eating. She was humming along to the musical number that had broken out on screen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome.” Danny smiled. They stayed in the kitchen to eat. “And thank you, for not… thanks for listening last night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We said partners. I can’t make unilateral decisions anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “Still. But anyway, I was thinking about our next move.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to see Dorothea. Then I want to visit Poindexter’s address, and check up on Tucker and that web page.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Danielle interrupted. Valerie cast her a look, then waited for Danny to respond. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then let’s do that. It’s Sunday, so I don’t think Dora is at work, but I’m pretty sure we can catch her at the bloodbank.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle hopped back over the sofa and approached them, sandwich in hand. “You have Sydney’s address? Since when?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since we did research.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I looked. How did you…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t look hard enough, clearly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen here, you frigid bi-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danielle!” Danny stood up, and stared down at Danielle. She stopped, and took a deep breath. Then gritted her teeth. “I’m coming with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not in my car,” Valerie crossed her arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Valerie please.” Danny seemed exhausted suddenly. It occurred to Valerie that Danny and Danielle had probably come to some sort of understanding while she was asleep. She looked at Danny and raised her eyebrows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine. I’ll be friendly. If she is. I will meet the standard she sets. Alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny still looked a bit strained. He turned to Danielle. “Alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright.” Danielle shrugged. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny sighed with relief. “Alright.” he echoed again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stood, and took all their empty plates to the sink. “Let me finish washing these, then we can head to Dorothea.” He said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. Danielle crossed her arms. Valerie looked Danielle up and down. She’d had a shower while Valeire slept. The blood was gone. She was wearing a green tank top, and a white hoodie from Amity High. By the size she was sure it was Danny’s, but Danielle had tied a knot in it to make it shorter and more fitted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie wondered how Danny felt about two women he barely knew sitting in his kitchen wearing his clothes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle tapped her foot, glaring at the empty table a moment, then mumbled, “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie blinked, taken aback. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks for helping me… thanks for taking care of me all night. I felt like I was gonna die...and you really helped. Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie crossed her arms. “Not such a frigid bitch, huh?” Danielle scowled and Valerie chuckled. “You’re welcome.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From the corner of her eye, Valerie saw Danny’s shoulders relax as the tension left them. She smiled amusedly, though she did feel a little bad they were stressing him out. She grabbed her phone and headed out before Danny and Danielle to her car. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She checked her messages and apps as she sat alone in the car. Paulina and Star had posted myriad photos of their time at the escape room and the game night with Tucker. Valerie saw her father in the likes and comments and assumed this was part of why he was so okay with her staying out again. He liked that she was getting out and having fun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was one photo Valerie cringed at where Paulina and Danny were both leaping for her as the chair had started to move across the floor. Danny and Paulina both looked somewhat panicked, Valerie looked mildly surprised with papers still in her hands. There was another taken just moments later of her in Danny's arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughed at Star's jealous expression in the background and suddenly realized why Star may have been whining so much about her feet hurting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny and Danielle came down the stairs a moment later, and Danny drove since he knew the way. They drove for around thirty minutes, mostly just in silence. Danielle was laying across the back seat with her feet braced on the door and Valerie glared at her over her shoulder. Who just puts their dirty shoes all over another woman's car?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they got the blood bank Valerie was starting to wonder if Danny would be okay. Being so close to such a large amount of blood. As they walked into the building however, she saw they were in a sort of closed off reception room. The door to their left was labeled, exam rooms. The door to the right was labeled employees only. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie supposed Danny had been here to talk to Dora before, as he moved toward the receptionist with a smile, and asked for Dora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danny! It feels like it’s been years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It's been about a year, I think, Allie.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you’re unable to give blood because of your condition. Are your friends here to donate?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, sorry.” He indicated Danielle, “My cousin has the same condition I do. And Valerie is here hanging out with us today.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?” The plump receptionist took in Danielle’s white hair. “So interesting. Does that mean it’s genetic?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle crossed her arms and sneered at the woman. Her smile faltered and Danny hurriedly chastised Danielle, “C’mon. Don’t be rude.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Danial, honey, I was rude. You talk so openly about it, I didn’t think… I’m sure it’s a hard thing for most people. I’ll go get Dora for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you Leah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Leah tottered off to find Dora, Valerie whispered, “What condition are you supposed to have?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Capillum Album Anemia.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie chuckled. “I’m sorry, what now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dora made it up when I was like 16. My parents obviously noticed me changing, and started taking me to the doctor. Dora came across them by accident and made it up to save me the tests and inevitable attention when doctors started noticing me healing really fast and stuff. She told my parents this big long story about her relative having it. Tucker made a fake website for my parents and teachers to visit, and that became my cover ever since.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s too elaborate. I just told teachers getting white hair young ran in the family. No one noticed my eye color change.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My mother was… not easily assuaged once she thought there was something up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm… And Dora did this out of the kindness of her heart?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. “Probably not. Hunters are always looking for us. Headlines about a boy who heals super fast, has cold pale skin, and who’s eyes turn red when he's around blood— say in a hospital— may have put a lot of unwanted eyes on Amity.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s true.” They were interrupted by a soft voice. They turned, and saw Leah was back at her desk, tapping away at the computer, and walking—almost gliding toward them— was a beautiful blond woman. She was tall, taller even than Danny, and she wore a long simple blue dress under an apron. Her hair was pulled into a braid that ran down her back. She smiled at them, but it made Valerie uneasy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dora’s eyes went immediately to Valerie, the human in the group, and she saw her green eyes flash red for just a moment before she took Danny’s hand and smiled warmly at him. “Danny, it’s been too long. Let’s step outside. I would like some air.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They followed Dora outside, and a fair distance from the building, as far as they could go before they were in direct sunlight, before she turned to them, her smile gone. She glared down on Valerie, then looked to Danny. “Why are you with a hunter, Danial?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s a friend. I was attacked by a Vampire, and she saved me. I don't know if you heard about Thomas—“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The boy they found on campus. I met with the detective in charge and convinced him to close the case early as a cold case. Can’t have humans getting too close to what they’re better off not knowing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You used a glamour,” Valerie said, feeling her lip curl. It was a rare skill, even among Vampires, and in all cases, required biting the human put under the spell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” Dora said without shame. She glanced down at Valerie’s tattoo. “She saved you? Is that your only connection to her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I mean, I would say I consider her a friend now, at least, and we’ve been trying to track down the Vamp that attacked me, and the one that killed Thomas.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dora’s eyes snapped back to Danny. “You think it’s more than one?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The scene didn’t match the way the one that attacked Danny fights.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie was on guard. She had a feeling every time she spoke Dora was itching to attack and silence her. She was clearly dedicated to keeping the Vampires in Amity undetected. Being so close to a hunter had her hackles raised. She hadn’t even said a word about Danielle. She was just zeroed in on Valerie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie was sure her questions were aimed at figuring out how close she and Danny were, and whether she should take steps to eliminate her. Valerie narrowed her eyes. Her tattoo had been shimmering and humming since she entered the building. She flexed the fingers in that hand and the signal stopped, ready for a command.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny seemed to notice the focus on Valerie, if not the meaning behind it. He took a half step in front of Valerie. “Dora, we came to see if you knew anything. Anything at all we can use to track down these Vampires. They’re attracting too much attention. If I hadn’t gotten away, The giant one would have attacked me in the middle of the student bookstore on campus, and the other one killed Thomas in a building Humans are in all hours of the day. One of them attacked Danielle here. We think one of them at least is connected to the bookstore downtown.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bookstore? Nikolai?” Dora asked, surprised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Nicholai and Poindexter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny, Valerie, and Danielle learn about Nicholai from Dora, then they pay Poindexter's home a visit.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>read over by the lovely thejordanandhervices --&gt;&gt; https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thejordanandhervices</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Danny was stunned. He had hoped Dora would maybe have rumors at least, and he’d expected she’d know about Thomas, but he hadn’t expected her to know one of the Vampires in question. Dora suddenly went from staring down Valerie like a lioness staring down dinner to staring wide eyed at Danny. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nikolai?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dora nodded. She looked concerned. “He’s owned that book store for over ninety years. Worked there almost forty before that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And no one noticed this century old man running a creepy ass bookstore for that long? Grandma remembers him selling her a cookbook in 1920, and no one noticed Brittany buying Twilight from the same guy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Young Vampiress, show some respect for your elders. There are ways these things are done. Nikolai and I were turned by the same Vampire nearly two hundred thirty years ago. I hold down two jobs. You think we do not have ways around things as trivial as human records and memory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean you glamour everyone over fifty?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, impudent girl.” Danny was getting nervous. He’d expected some friction between Valerie and Dora. Dora was very much against the presence of hunters in Amity. Valeri was against Vampires that fed on people. Danny happened to know Dora only fed from living humans in order to glamour them and she never killed them, but he suspected that was enough for Valerie to be opposed to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What Danny hadn’t anticipated was Danielle being so antagonistic toward Dora. He jumped in before Dora could answer, and explained to Danielle, “They use fronts. Get someone else to fill out paperwork for them with legit info, or get someone else to put property in a name and operate the business as theirs, or buy it with their own info, then like every fifty years, they draw up a death certificate and leave everything to their heir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who I assume is just themselves.” Valerie said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My ‘mother’ died, and left me her home in 1985. I have a ‘daughter’ who lives with her father in another country and I will retire in around ten years, then leave everything to her in another twenty or so years.” Dora said. “It’s very official. She has a birth certificate, social security number, and everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Working a desk job in government has its benefits,” Danny said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, it does.” Dora smiled again. Then her smile faded. “I work so hard to keep Amity safe for our kind. I even eat this bagged nonsense, even though the taste is so much purer from the vein.” She eyed Valerie again, and Danny moved more fully in front of her, instinctively shielding her from view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie side stepped around him, hands on hips, and glared as Dora. “What do you know about Nikolai then? Why might he have killed a human, if you guys work so hard to keep under the radar?” Valerie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dora looked like she was considering not answering, but instead she simply directed her answer toward Danny. “Nikolai shouldn’t need to attack any humans unless he feels they are a direct threat. He works hard for a quiet life here. His home is even protected, so he can live in peace.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does he feed then, if he doesn’t attack people? It didn’t seem to me like you were ever trying to feed more than just yourself from what you get here,” Danny said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He had a human source he feeds on regularly. Usually a human he trusts with his secrets that sticks close, and offers their blood freely. I believe his current source is a lovely young woman who works in his store.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the big deal about hunters if you’re going to tell some human anyway? How do you even pick ‘em?” Danielle asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s usually some romantic delighted to be part of the secretive and taboo world of the occult.” Dora rolled her eyes. “And I would like to ask, young Vampiress, since you seem to have a problem with attacking for food, yet do not have a willing source, how do you obtain your food? You aren’t like Danny. I smell blood on your breath.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie whipped around to look at Danielle, who looked defiant, but nervous, like she’d just been caught in a lie. She edged from Valerie, and Danny put a hand on Valerie’s shoulder, but to his surprise she seemed calm, and if anything, a little surprised.  Danielle swallowed before she answered, “I feed on animals. It’s not the same, but it’s better than nothing, and I still eat human food. I haven’t had human blood in two years just about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded, and Danny supposed that answer had been about what she expected, and acceptable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, shame,” Dora said. “I do not know why you and Danny are the way you are, but I’m sure you would both be stronger if you would just consume your natural food source. Perhaps even stronger than a normal vampire, because you lack our weaknesses.” She held out one pale hand. Danielle was standing just feet away from Dora in direct sunlight. As Dora reached out, the skin outside the shadow of the building began to smoke and discolored slightly, like paper under a magnifying glass. She pulled her hand back, and it healed almost instantly. She sighed. “I’m glad for winter. Shorter days means more time outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was feeling antsy. “Dora, sorry, but back to Nikolai. Why do you think he may have killed, then? If it was him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I imagine he felt that this boy was a threat, somehow, to our secrecy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. “Thomas wasn’t like that.” Thomas was so secretive himself, that Danny didn’t meet him in person for months after they started working together. It didn’t make sense to think he would be a threat in that regard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dora seemed troubled. She paced one delicate hand on her cheek, and pouted a bit. “It is true, that normally he would have told me if that were the case. Shall I ask him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Valerie said. She was looking thoughtful, playing with her hair absentmindedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not, Val?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you know about this other Vampire?” Valerie asked, while texting on her phone. Danny was annoyed Valerie didn’t answer him until his phone buzzed. He looked at the text from Valerie: </span>
  <em>
    <span>the two Vampires seem to be working together. If that were the reason, why attack you? It’s better they aren’t warned just how closely we’re looking into them.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Danny swallowed. That was a good point. He turned to Dora, and described the encounter with the giant and the attack on Danielle. Then he echoed Valerie’s question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A Mohawk… hmm… doesn’t sound like anyone I know. And certainly, I’ve never known Nikolai to use weapons of any kind really. He shares my talent to perform a glamour. No, perhaps he’s even better at it than me. He is also quite lithe, and adept with his claws and fangs.” Dora checked her watch. “I have to get back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course. Thanks for your time, Dora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of, course, Danial.” Dora leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled, and they moved back toward the car.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was scribbling notes into the notebook app on her phone with a stylus, and Danielle resumed her position across the back seats as Danny started to head toward Sydney Poindexter’s last known address. After a while, Danny snuck a look at Valerie’s notebook, and saw her thoughts seemed to have finally stalled out after several pages of writing. She was currently doodling little mummies and cleopatra onto the page under a flower doodle that had expanded to half a page and the word Wulf, which she had circled. A while after that, Valerie snapped the notebook shut with a sigh, and switched on her music instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They drew close to Sydney’s, and saw nothing out of the ordinary about the neighborhood. Same for the apartment. It was an unremarkable complex spanning about fourteen buildings, all three stories high. Poindexter lived on the second floor in building eleven. They parked in guest parking and moved up the stairs. Danny couldn’t smell nor hear anything out of the ordinary. No blood, no decay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie knocked on the door firmly, and they waited. There was no response. She knocked again, more firmly this time, and the door swung open as the lock popped loose. Danny gasped, Danielle took a step back, and Valerie was pulling on a pair of gloves. She carefully pushed the door open, and stepped inside. Danny and Danielle exchanged a glance and then followed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looked at the lock as he passed into the apartment, and saw it had been broken in by force, and then the pieces seemed to have been very carefully fitted together to give the appearance of an undamaged lock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The apartment was a modern two bedroom. As they walked in, there was a door on their left that led to a small laundry room. On their right was the living room. The kitchen was visible through an archway in the living room, adjacent to that was a hall that led left. Danny assumed it led to the bedrooms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole place was relatively clean. Not much out of place. Valerie sifted through mail on the counter. She tore open a couple of the bills. “Woah!” Danny said. “Why are you going through--’’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing here dated after the 10th.” She said. She flipped a switch next to her, and the lights didn’t come on. “I’m assuming he missed this electricity shut off deadline for the 17th.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s stomach dropped. That was when Thomas was killed. “So wait, this guy has been missing since before Thomas died?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned to Danielle and she shrugged. “Last I heard from him was about the 12th I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Almost half a week before.” Valerie’s expression was serious, calculating. She picked up a wallet on the counter, sifted through it, and put it down. She turned on her heel and moved toward the bedrooms. Danielle picked up the wallet again, grabbed the several hundred in cash from inside and slipped it in her pocket. Danny scowled at Danielle, then followed Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Val, what’s on your mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie glanced back at him as she opened the first door. It was the bathroom. She moved to the one across the hall, and it appeared to be the master bedroom. It was relatively spacious with an attached bath. There were clothes strewn about. Valerie moved a few about with her foot, checked the side table to find it empty, then moved to the room at the end of the hall, adjacent the bathroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No chargers or anything,” Danny noted. Valerie nodded. “Val. Partners, remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie started as though she’d received a small shock, and turned to him as she opened the door. “Sorry.” The last room was made up like an office, with a larger cornered desk, a set up similar to what Danny had seen at Tucker’s. Gamers sometimes had heavy duty computer towers and large monitors. This setup was like that, with a television set up in place of where a monitor would be and two keyboards on the desk facing it. A chair designed for long stretches of sitting down was turned on its side near the door. Papers were strewn about him here, torn from books and notebooks, then torn into pieces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like he left on his own,” Valerie said. “No chargers in there. None in here. No laptop or tablets which I’d bet money he owns.” Valerie hesitated. The only mess seems to be what he made. She picked up a couple bits of shredded paper. “Covering his tracks. My guess, given what happened to Thomas only days later, I’ll bet he knew what was about to happen. Thomas may have known too, if they were partners. May be why he suddenly wanted to meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, only… Poindexter got away, and Thomas didn’t?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. Danny’s stomach dropped again. “How do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Broken lock means someone got in. but the only mess here is the mess Poindexter made.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So they knew what they were here for. They didn’t have to look for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The wallet on the counter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He could have forgotten it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. Or he didn’t have a chance to grab it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But his stuff is still gone. So they took poindexter </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>his stuff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They may have needed it. To find out what Poindexter knew…find out who knew what he knew...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s eyes widened, and he whipped out his phone and dialed Tucker. “Track his partner!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker answered, and Danny heard a game pause in the background. “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tuck, what all have you done about that site?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I checked the source code, and saw it uses a kind of analytics tracking, so to get around that I got in using a VPN and a junker laptop, and public wifi.” Danny sighed with relief. Tucker’s paranoia was much appreciated at this moment. “I got in using one of the passwords Valerie wrote down, then just copied down everything I could and got out. I went in again this morning while I was at the coffee shop just to see if I could, and the password hasn’t changed, and the hit counter only recorded my entries. I don’t think anyone is currently monitoring the site, but I’m not planning to go back in. No one may notice the hit counters gone from 96 to 98. They may notice it jumping to triple digits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s a good idea Tuck. Can I swing by and get what you found? I assumed you copied it into Val’s notebook?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. figured it was safer than copy pasting and making too many copies to be found.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks Tuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem. You okay? You sound a little… off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny gripped the phone. If Tucker could hear it, so could Valerie. She could also see his stricken expression.  He looked up and saw her watching him with an expression akin to pity. “Yeah, just, this whole thing with Thomas is getting me a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker sounded sympathetic as he said, “Keep your head up, man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny thanked him and disconnected. “Tucker got some stuff off the site. We’ll stop by his place so he can give it to us after this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. “Danny, are you sure you’re okay to do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s only going to get worse from here, Danny. More blood, more Vampire attacks, maybe more dead bodies. This information Thomas had for you… you need to decide if it’s worth going through all this just to find out it’s nothing you were hoping for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny dropped his gaze to the shredded paper on the floor. He knew she was right. Then something caught his eye. He stooped and grabbed it. He held it out to Valerie. “Look familiar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened. “The stone.” The printed image had a note scribbled beside it. The paper was ripped so all they could read was: “found...collection at the...picked up... tell your white haired friend…” Valerie read what she could out loud. Danny was kneeling, sifting carefully through the papers, looking for more of the note. Unfortunately, most of the papers were handwritten notes on printed images and lined paper, and it was impossible to tell which came from which source at a glance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Most of this handwriting looks like Thomas’s.” Danny said. He looked closely at the largest paper in the pile. “This one is almost complete. ‘I can’t be sure, but I think it would work. I won’t say anything until I know for sure. It may even work for both, who knows? However, We could be more careful going forward. I’m adding a webpage to my forums. I think we could move all communication online behind password protection, and code it. First password: Then there's a picture here of a chemical reaction here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny recognized it as an oxidation reaction. Underneath was written, ‘line 14, word 12’. So this was the start of using books as code. This one must have come from Danny’s Organic chemistry textbook. “After that it’s just this grid here part of it looks ripped, but it doesn’t look like there was anything in it. Just this ABC in the top corner, look.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie stroked her chin thoughtfully. “Danielle!” Valerie called.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looking through the recycling. There's a ton of receipts for that ice cream place, Kitty’s whatever, and some girl’s phone number on an ice cream cup from there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Grab the number, leave everything there. See if you can find a gallon ziplock or a grocery bag and bring it here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause, and Danny could imagine Danielle staring back toward the hall with her lip curled back. “You my boss now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, Danielle,” Danny called. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny heard Danielle grumbling as she started opening drawers. Valerie couldn’t possibly hear, but Danny caught every whispered insult. Danielle stomped back to the room and tossed Danny a box of ziplocks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could hear you.” Danny reminded her, and her scowl deepened. She tossed her hair and moved back toward the kitchen. “And you better leave everything where it is. No more stealing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle leaned back into the doorway to flip Danny the bird, and walked away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie watched her go. “Did she ever say what she wanted from Poindexter?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny thought about it and shrugged. “Don’t think so. Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t seem like her goal is the same as yours. And by this note it seems like Poindexter and Thomas’s goal was different than yours too. Adjacent, not congruent. If her goal was the same as theirs though, it may tell us why they ended up on these Vampire’s radars.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True.” Danny was piling all the papers into ziplocks with Valerie’s help. He thought about the note Thomas had written. He seemed to know even back then that someone may try to find out what he was doing, and that it was dangerous. Most of Danny’s communications with Thomas had, strangely enough, involved just answering questions about his experience turning and even giving Thomas a small blood sample. Thomas had seemed like he was interested in Danny’s unheard of state of half Vampirism, and had actually been the one to introduce to Danny the thought that it could be reversed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once all their papers were gathered, Valerie snapped a few photos of the room, then they left and returned to the car. Tucker met them outside his apartment, and handed the notebook to Valerie through the window. He leaned on the car door, and looked in at Danny. Danny knew he was worried about him after their phone call. “You guys need anything else?” He glanced in the back and spotted Danielle. His eyes widened. “Danny… is she… like you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “From what we can tell, yeah.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker let out a low whistle. He stuck a hand in the car, offering it to Danielle. “I’m Tucker.” Danielle looked hesitant, but sat up to shake his hand also. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker laughed. “Really? Danny and Dani, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny rolled his eyes at almost the same moment Danielle did. Tucker laughed at the coincidence and Valerie stifled a laugh also. Danny was relieved to see her seem to relax finally. She’d seemed on edge since yesterday. Tucker backed off the car and waved them off. Danielle lay back again and said, “Can I stay with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looked at her in the rearview in surprise. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t have anywhere to go. I came to town kinda planning to crash with Poindexter, and now I can’t. I can’t go home.” She paused, and turned over, facing the back of the car seats. “I don’t have anywhere to go…” She repeated quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny and Valerie exchanged a glance. “I… Where have you been staying while you’ve been in town?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. “Benches, 24 hour cafes that don’t kick me out. I was out of money till I took what Sydney had left just now, and I’m kind of out of options, here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have friends you can crash with? No family?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle shrugged. “I don’t have friends. I’m adopted, and my adoptive family is scared of me. They… I think they have some idea what I am. At least the mom does. The last night I was there, she brought over a priest to talk to me. It only takes googling his name to learn he’s infamous for believing in exorcisms and shit. I can’t go back. I left them a note that said fuck ‘em, and I left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were all quiet, then Danny asked, “How old are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seventeen. I’ve been like this since, well, I’m not sure, but I figured it out around fifteen because of the cravings and shit, and it became obvious to them something was up about half a year ago before my birthday.” Danny couldn’t help but sympathize. He remembered the fuss his mother made over his hair and eyes changing color, her conviction something was wrong. Her focus on the issue had been a problem, sure, but her reaction had been sympathetic and concerned, not fear and rejection. His father had also been vocally concerned, though it had taken him longer to notice something was up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, Danielle was a minor. “You can stay. I can’t let a kid sleep outside. But you have to call your family and tell them where you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if they try to make me come home?” Danielle asked, sounding to Danny a little afraid. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell them you found a blood relative and wanted to meet them. Send a picture of Danny. It may not stop them from bringing you home, but it may delay it. They may at least kind of understand wanting to meet a potential cousin or brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle looked hesitant still, but she nodded. She started to lay back and put up her feet again, then Valerie finally snapped, “Little girl, if you don’t get your damn feet off the door, Imma use a spell to stick them permanently to the floor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle jerked upright, scowling at the back of Valerie’s head, and moved to the middle of the back seat. Danielle mumbled. “Oh, so now you know I’m underage, suddenly I’m a little girl? This little girl could whoop your ass.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try me, hoe.” Valerie turned in her seat to fix Danielle with a hard stare. Danielle dropped her gaze to the floorboard. Valerie turned back around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Val? Maybe we don’t call the child names?” Danny suggested lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She wanna act grown, she can act grown. She don’t get to have me take her seriously because she acts big and bad, then turn around putting her feet up in someone else’s car like she don’t have no goddamn sense. Turn in here. I want tacos.” In the back seat, Danny caught Danielle blushing. She hadn’t realized she seemed so immature, surely. Danny decided not to tell her Danny and Valerie had already guessed she was very young. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled into the taco drive through and Danny ordered a ton. Danielle leaned over Danny’s shoulder, shouting her own requests for a slushie and dessert items. As they waited for the car in front to pull forward, Danny suddenly asked, “What about school!?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?”Danielle asked, looking guilty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny narrowed his eyes. “Just turned seventeen makes you a junior, right? What about school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve… I only missed a little bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I swear! We’re on the same fall break you are. I only missed the last day before fall break started.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle, then you have to go back…” Danny started. To his surprise, Valerie interjected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure she should. If her family is going to try and exorcise her. They may not banish a demon, but they may end up accidentally hurting her, or forcing her to hurt others. I’ve heard of exorcisms that have killed people via stress without Vampirism involved. If Danielle gets stressed out like that…” Danny remembered her attack on Valerie the night before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what do we do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See if there’s anything Dora can do, Pull some strings or…” she sighed as she said, “glamour the police chief into intervening for Danielle’s safety.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are schools online, Danny. I don’t think she should go back until we know it’s a safe place to be. Call Dora before she calls her parents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny again conceded mentally that Valerie was probably right. He still felt weird about basically hiding a teenage runaway in his home, but he had to admit he didn’t like the idea of sending her back to potentially be harmed or forced into harming others. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The car behind them honked, and Danny realized their food was ready. A very impatient employee was leaning out the drive through window waving the bag. Danny pulled forward, mumbled an apology, and handed over his card. He added a tip on the receipt and scribbled another apology for wasting time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got back on the road. He had an email for Dora--the one at city hall--but no other way to contact her besides in person. He was sure that email would be monitored. He licked his lips. Maybe that was better considering what he was going to contact her about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and started heading back to his place. They weren't out very long. A few hours at most, but he was exhausted. As he drove, Valerie put on her music again and looked at what Tucker had found. She was looking back and forth between the notes on her phone and the notes in her notebook. Danielle was sitting back with her hands in her pockets, looking back and forth between Valerie and the floor. Danny tapped the steering wheel to the beat of the music. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pulled into the parking lot, and Danielle jumped out first. She grabbed her food, and ran up the steps without a word, then waited by the door for Danny to let her in. Danny and Valerie hung back by the car a moment longer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie took her tacos and drink, and put them back in the car. “If we aren't going to do any other field investigating, I think I should head to my Dad’s. I’ve been out two nights in a row.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny grabbed the bags of ripped papers. “I’ll work on these and email Dora about Danielle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it was early on in their partnership, I’m not sure what you’re gonna find.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shrugged. “I like jigsaw puzzles.” They both leaned against the driver side of the car and Danny handed Valerie her keys. “You’re welcome to stay for dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. “Thanks for the food, though. I’ll get you next time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Danny looked up the steps toward Danielle. He knew she could hear them if she tried, so he picked his words carefully. “You… think she’ll be okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie sighed. “Hard to say. In the long run, probably. She’s a right little pain in the ass when she wants to be,” Danny glanced toward Danielle and saw her smirk. “But… she’s also a good person, I think.  Hope she doesn’t get so beat down she forgets it.” Danielle’s smile dropped, and she glanced back down the steps, then turned away. Valerie smiled and gave Danny’s shoulder a playful push. “Sounds familiar, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny smiled. “When have I been like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie chuckled. “I guess it’s not exactly the same. But… you know…” She paused then shrugged and opened her car door. “Never mind. I’m not gonna lecture you… this time.” She winked and slid behind the wheel. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny waved Valerie off, and followed Danielle up the stairs. Once inside, they ate in the living room while Danny emailed Dora, and also his landlord. He knew the two bedroom diagonal his apartment was empty. He didn’t know how long Danielle would be staying with him, but if it ended up long term, He wasn’t going to give up the privacy of his bedroom forever, but he also wasn’t going to make a teenager live on his sofa either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle, do you have any other things? Like, stuff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle shrugged. “Lost my bag last night.” She finished her burrito and crossed her arms. “All I have is a couple hundred bucks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laced his fingers behind his head. “Then I suppose we should make a trip to the mall or something this week, and get you some clothes and like, a toothbrush and stuff. I wonder if Jazz will help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jazz?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. Older or younger?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Older.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ehhh, I thought she’d be your younger sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daniell shrugged, and nudged him with her heel. “You seem like you’d be an older brother to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just think that because you’re younger than me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle shook her head and smiled. “Not-uh. You take care of people a lot. I think that’s a big brother thing.” She grinned, “Bet if you had a girlfriend she would walk all over you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny suddenly felt a stinging in his chest, and she paused when she saw the expression on Danny’s face. “Um… land mine?” She grimaced and he clenched his jaw a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… my girlfriend and I just broke up. She used to basically live here with me, and as of about two days ago… she doesn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought Valerie was your girlfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny chuckled. “Nope. She and I met just this week. She’s been helping me figure out this thing with Thomas and Sydney. Speaking of which: Why was Poindexter, a college senior, in contact with a seventeen year old girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure about what he wanted. He messaged me like a couple months ago and started asking about my hair and stuff. Some of the things she asked made me think maybe he knew what I was and when I confronted him about it, he admitted he knew someone else like me, and was curious about how we came to be.” Danielle pulled her hair down from her scrunchies and started combing her hands through her hair. Danielle tilted her head and stared at the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He told me he was looking for a cure, and I told him to fuck off. Then… He told me I could use the cure on the guy who turned me too, and… that… I liked. Because as he is now, he’s too strong for me. If I could turn him human again… I could kill him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny stared at Danielle. Her expression was dark, bordering between extreme sorrow and extreme rage. “You mentioned Vlad before. Danielle, is he the one who…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle nodded. Danny watched her. He felt sorry for her. If Vlad had chosen her, then she and Danny had more in common than their names. In fact, Valerie was right, Danny and Danielle looked somewhat alike. Seemed Vlad had some criteria for the targets of his twisted hobbies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somewhere behind them on the counter, Danny’s phone pinged. He got up to look and saw his landlord had emailed him back. The only available apartment right now was the attic studio apartment. Danny sighed and asked how much. His rent was relatively cheap. He may be able to help Danielle get into the studio, and she could stay there on her own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Danny grabbed his keys and his wallet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go to the store. I can’t keep eating out. I need groceries, and we can get to the mall and get you a couple outfits and stuff.” Danny was about to ask Danielle to make a list of things she needed, and realized he’d never seen her use a phone. “Do you have a phone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. “My adoptive family tracked it, so I left it behind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded and sighed. “I have an old one I’m not using… and without my girlfriend, there’s an open line on my phone plan. I can see about getting that phone turned on for you. Come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See, you are really good at taking care of people.” Danielle got up and followed Danny. She shoved her hands in her pockets, and if Danny had not possessed Vampire hearing, he would have missed her whisper, “Thank you.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Wulf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Valerie does some research on her own at home, and spends time with her mentor.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Valerie pulled into her father’s empty driveway and sat in her car a while, again contemplating her choices. She had already decided to trust Danny, and work with him, but if information was what they needed to move forward, she would like more of it than they got from Dora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dora seemed not unkind, and she seemed to genuinely like Danny, but if in all the years he’d known her, she never told him about a Vampire her same age living next to Danny’s university, Valerie had no doubt she was keeping other secrets as well. Valerie pulled out her notebook and looked at her evidence again. Not much. There wasn't much here that would tell them what Poindexter and Thomas knew. Or what </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie drummed her fingers against the steering wheel, and then finally pulled back out of the driveway onto the road. She stopped once for gas and snacks and headed out of Amity Park. She drove nearly two hours to the city of Elm, where her apartment was and where she lived most of the year. She pulled off Birchwood Street into the parking lot for her apartment, and went inside. She messaged her father to let him know where she was and that she would be back in the morning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then she went inside. She flicked on the light in her one bedroom apartment. She locked the door behind herself, and sent out a couple more texts to Danny, Paulina, and a friend here in town. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny responded first, to let her know he was taking Danielle to a mall for clothes, and asked what else girls might need beside clothes and toiletries. Valerie suggested some kind of tablet or laptop, thinking about Danielle possibly going to school online. Paulina responded next and told Valerie excitedly in a voice memo that she was going to have a Halloween party, and that Valerie needed to let Tucker and Danny know, and she needed to give Paulina Tucker’s number. Valerie asked what happened to her other boy, and Paulina said that the other boy could kick rocks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie chuckled and was about to put her phone down when Danny responded asking Valerie for decorating ideas for a girls room. Valerie asked why, and Danny explained his thought about getting Danielle her own space. Valerie smiled a little sadly. Danny was too kind. He wanted for everyone to be comfortable and happy. It wasn’t a bad wish, but Valerie thought this tendency in his extreme was perhaps doing to lead Danny to being taken advantage of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie responded with a few suggestions, and asked for Tucker's number for Paulina. She shot the number over to Paulina when it came tough and finally put her phone down. She made herself a cup of instant noodles since it was the only thing in her cabinets and dropped in front of her laptop to do some more research. She started with Dorothea and Nikolai. Not much on either of them. According to all she could find they were both listed as 32 years old, born in Amity, raised abroad in France and England respectively, and moved to Amity Park when their “parents” died and left them property and businesses at ages 24 and 21.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing more to be found online about them, so she moved back a “generation” to the names they’d listed as their parents. And repeated with each generation going back to 1847 before she found something. It was an old photo of workers on the railroad when it was being built through Amity. In the background behind the men at work was a silhouette in the shade that Valerie recognized. A huge man with a square jaw and wild hair, in this photo carrying a bow and arrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Next to him on his left was Dora, in this generation named Theadora, and on the giants other side was a man nearly as tall as him, but thin and with his fingers steepled together in front of him. His face was long, and he wore round glasses. He looked to Valerie more like a ghost than anything, almost the opposite of Dora’s cheery presence. There was one other man in the shade with them, but he was mostly obscured in shadow, and in this grainy photo all she could see of him was his posture and the glint of light off what seemed to be a ring on his finger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of these men was Nikolai, surely. Valerie focused on the tall skinny one, recalling Danny’s description from the night in the science building. She sat back, stroking her chin. So now she had a face, sort of, to go on. Next, she would look at any websites she could find that described “ghost sightings” in or around the area. Some humans who may have caught sight of Nikolai hunting may have mistaken it for a different type of paranormal. From this, Valerie may have a shot at learning what his abilities may be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie had just selected a site to start her search on when her phone started to ring. She recognized that tone, and for just a moment, there were butterflies in her stomach. She took a moment to calm herself and answered, “Wulf.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A deep voice replied, “Valerie,” The tone was friendly. She could hear the smile in his voice, and bit her lip as she smiled too. “It’s been a while, I think.” Valerie loved his Spanish accent. She always had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She met Wulf just after she began hunting. He worked at a tattoo shop, and he had done her first tattoo. While working, and when they were alone in the shop, he asked about her recent Vampire encounter. Valerie had pulled away, and made to get out of the chair, but he’d casually held her arm tightly, so she couldn’t get away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean you no harm,” he’d said. “I am also a hunter, though I don’t do it often,” Wulf had held up his arm, and Valerie saw his tattoo shining there. She stared, and she chuckled, “You have talent, if you can see it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly Valerie had relaxed, and Wulf had resumed work on the puzzle piece tattoo on her ankle. He explained to her that he’d been hunting since he was young, at the behest of his mother. Valerie admitted that she’d been injured during her encounter, and that she wished she also had some guidance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tattoo was finished, and as Valerie was about to leave, Wulf grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “I’ll teach you,” He offered. He gestured to her bandaged arm. “So that this doesn’t happen again, hopefully.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie hesitated only a moment, then accepted. Wulf had her number. He pulled it from her paperwork, and that same week Valerie began rigorous training which ended with her getting her own tattoo, and learning some magic to go with it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their first meeting was a few years behind them at this point. She now considered him a dear friend and mentor. Maybe more. Wulf spoke again, and Valerie could hear someone else’s tattoo machine in the background. He must be at the shop. “What is it? It is too rare for you to message me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m working on one thing, and have some questions for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sat on her bed while she heard the background noise on his end fade out. He was moving outside. “What is it, Love?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you ever heard of half-Vampires?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Half? No, I’m afraid I haven’t. I am sorry. Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have a partner on this one, Danny. He has white hair, and he’s pale, and I guess a little colder than a normal person, but he doesn’t seem to need blood to survive the way Vampires normally do. He was turned over ten years ago and apparently has never had any.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“May I ask… how was he turned? I am curious. Was he perhaps turned by another half-Vamp?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doesn’t seem like it. They were turned by this guy Vlad. I think you’ve seen him on TV.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Masters? I knew he was a Vamp.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, apparently, but they made it sound like he’s a full Vampire.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s another girl that’s half. She didn’t say outright, but it sounds like she was also turned by Vlad. I haven’t asked Danny about it because it kinda seems… rude to ask? I dunno. He seems kinda traumatized by it when it’s brought up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To be honest, I have never asked a Vampire how they were turned at all, now I think about it. I learned the process from other hunters. You remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They drain a human to the last drop, then feed the human their blood. It either kills them or turns them, and there’s no reliable predictor. The accounts we do have report passing out from blood loss, and waking up a Vampire.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, exactly. Vampire bites are toxic. They may kill you on their own, even without having lost too much blood. For a half-Vampire to exist… two, you make it sound like… I imagine the process must have been painful…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie agreed. Danny had been fourteen when turned. The poor thing. He didn’t talk about his family much, and Valerie hadn’t thought it sounded like anyone besides Tucker and Sam knew. Danielle, being just seventeen, had to be much closer to the incident. She held such anger and resentment, Valerie had been even more convinced the method by which they were turned must be atypical. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, do you happen to know a Sydney Poindexter or a Thomas Arnold?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Poindexter? Hold on, Love.” Valerie heard typing on Wulf’s end, and when he came back on the line, he said with a tone of faint annoyance, “Valerie, my love, how do you know this man? Tell me this is not your partner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t. He's not. He’s missing, and connected with another man who definitely died in a Vamp attack. He was also in contact with one of the half-Vampires I met.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Poindexter had contacted me. I did not know how he found me, but he contacted me here at the shop. He did not say what he wanted but left his email. When I contacted him, he only wanted to ask what I knew about the process of turning humans. I explained what I knew, because it sounded like he was concerned about someone he knew turning over time. I assured him the change is fairly quick, and he followed with a question that was so… gross… I did not respond.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie gripped her phone, remembering that this man had been in contact with Danielle. “What did he ask?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He asked what I thought may happen if one were to feed Vampire blood to a human over time. If the human would know it, since their venom has an anesthetic effect.” Valerie could hear the disgust in his voice. “I said that of course, the human would probably not, since the venom is in their saliva. He asked if the venom were ingested, how long it would affect a human. Would they be unconscious? If so, he asked, how long?” Wulf paused. “Then he asked if the effects would be the same on a child, and how long a child may be unconscious, whether it would be long enough to move them. There was more, but I stopped reading and blocked the email.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie was thinking, a pit in her stomach. Had these questions been born from Danny and Danielles accounts of changing? How young had Danielle been, then? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think… that those questions may have come from a theory that they had about how these half-Vampires got that way.” At least, Valerie hoped so. “He was probably asking you to see if it was plausible, from an expert’s perspective.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wulf made a noise of disgust, “Then he should have said so, instead of asking me the applications of venom and Vampire blood used on children.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t disagree. That was probably the creepiest way he could have asked about it. But… if this kind of research is the reason they’re dead…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You must be careful, Love. You may want to back off, and attack the Vampires responsible from another angle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I may not have a choice but to move forward. They know who we are. I’ve fought one of them already, and the other has seen me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was silence on the other line. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wulf.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are you? I’ll go to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Wulf. I’m taking precautions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I would like to make sure you are safe myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wulf, I promise, I would have called you if I thought I was in over my head. The guy I’m working with, one of the half-Vampires, is strong—if inexperienced. He has good instincts and I trust him to back me up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm… I see. If he bites you, Love, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>kill him myself.” Valerie would have laughed if Wulf didn’t sound so deadly serious. She decided not to ask the questions she had about ways to perhaps curb Danny’s cravings a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, let's hope it never comes to that, because I am absolutely sure you could kill him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm…Are you sure, Love, that I should not join you in the hunt?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll let you know if I need your help. I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll hold you to it.” They exchanged a few more words about her schooling and his shop. They promised to go out for lunch at some point soon, and disconnected. Valerie continued her research a while longer. She went and got her pens and compiled her notes into her notebook, including a print of the picture she found of the giant, Dora, and the other two men. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She responded to a few more texts from Paulina confirming her interest in attending a costume party Halloween night, and promising Danny would bring Tucker and that she would try to convince Tucker to dress as a pharaoh to match Paulina as Cleopatra. It was a couple hours later that Valerie finally put down her phone and stood up with the thought to take a shower. It was as she stretched that there was a knock on her door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie felt no ill presence within her protective spell, but she did feel a familiar presence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She opened the door, and before her stood Wulf. He was tall, Valerie only barely reached his shoulder if she included her hair. Wulf stood before her with a warm smile. His brown-grey hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and he’d obviously just come from the shop. “Can I come in?” Valerie stood aside, and he shed his fur lined coat as he entered. His eyes were on hers at first, then slid down toward her forearm. “You were injured.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took her hand in his and raised it to examine it. “It’s mostly healed now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was it this Vampire you are hunting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. It was actually one of the half—“ at a dark look from Wulf, she amended, “It was a misunderstanding. She thought I was working with the Vampires. She’s young, only seventeen, and hasn’t really met many of her own kind I’ll bet, much less any hunters. She’s apologized, and I know she means it… she’s just a kid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wulf’s expression softened and he smiled again. “You are kind, Love.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie scoffed. “Don’t get me wrong, if I get a chance to get a shot in I’m just petty enough to take it.” They laughed and moved back to the sofa. Wulf was wearing just a tank top, and Valerie ran her fingers over the elements in his tattoo. “You got it finished?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked down at it with her. Her fingers moved from wrist to shoulder, over chains, a clock face, paw prints, the Esperanto words for “I am a hunter,” and a wolf and forest design. “It came together really well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” He leaned back on the sofa and pulled his hair down from his ponytail. “When will I have you in my chair again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When I have an idea that’s important enough to warrant marking my body permanently.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wulf laughed. “Fair. You don’t seem like one to end up covered in flash tattoos. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Definitely not. But I’ll let you know if I come up with something.” She started to pull her hair up into a braid, and Wulf caught her wrist. She paused, and turned to see his focus on her. Her face. “Why…” He asked, “Are you wearing a men’s shirt?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie looked down at the top. “My shirt got ruined and Danny let me stay over so I wouldn't have to explain it to my Dad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that why you smell like another man, too?” Wulf gently pulled her braid to release it, and tangled his fingers in her loose curls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie chuckled. “You can smell that?” She shook her head. “You’re like a dog.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wulf shrugged. “Have to live up to the name.” He leaned over, and kissed her forehead. He moved down, and kissed her cheek. He pulled back to kiss her other cheek and she turned her head, catching his lips instead.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hand in her hair moved to the back of her neck, and his other found her hip, and slid up, over her waist. He deepened the kiss, and then pulled back. He stripped his tank, and then reached over and pulled at the hem of her shirt. She helped to pull it over her head, and Wulf balled it up and tossed it across the room. Valerie laughed as she lay back on the sofa. “His smell that strong? Or are you just jealous?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wulf leaned over her with a wolfish grin. He nuzzled her neck, and placed a light kiss at the base of her throat. “Perhaps… Maybe I’m just feeling impatient, Love. I’ve missed you.” He captured her mouth in another, rougher kiss. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie wrapped an arm around his shoulders to pull him in closer. “I think I missed you too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie woke to her phone ringing. She rolled over and checked the time-- already afternoon-- and answered. “Hey, Danny.” She pushed herself upright, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, did I wake you?” he sounded bemused. “I thought you’d be up already. I just had an update about Danielle. Dora is planning to visit her family with Danielle. She said there’s no reason to get the chief involved if she can convince them  to just sign over custody.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And by convince, she means…” Valerie pushed her hair from her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably she means glamour.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beside her, Wulf rose with a yawn, and stretched. He leaned close to Valerie, and pulled her curls aside so he could plant a trail of little kisses up her shoulder and neck. Then he planted many playful ones upon her cheek, wrapping her in a hug. Valerie smiled, and shooed him away. “Boy, stop! Sorry, no, Danny, not you. So what’s next?” Valerie moved to her dresser, pulled on a pair of underwear and a bra. Wulf moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. With one hand he unhooked her bra again. She laughed and pulled away, shaking her head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well after it’s official I guess I take Danielle to my parents to introduce her so she doesn’t pop up on social media somewhere and send them into a panic. I haven’t even told them about Sam yet, so this’ll be fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie pulled away from Wulf and moved to the restroom as he pouted. She put Danny on speaker and started her morning routine, washing her face and brushing her teeth. “Were they close with her too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kind of. They liked her, and we’ve been together a long time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm… That’s hard. I’m sorry, Danny.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Hopefully I run into my sister first and she can tell my mom and dad to ease off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Valerie,” Wulf moved behind her, and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Do I still have clothes here?” He asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bottom drawer on the left.” She whispered and pointed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He unhooked her bra again before trotting away as she swatted at him. “I’ll go start coffee. Would you like some?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie put her hands together in prayer and turned to Wulf. “Please.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone there?” Danny asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I have someone over, sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, okay. Should I let you go?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, you’re good. He’s in the other room making coffee while I wash my face and stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, well, I got Danielle some clothes and stuff. Well, I made her use the money she took from Poindexter’s actually. Dora said there may be a stipend for her if Dora is named for custody, and that’ll take care of the rent, or most of it, anyway, for now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good. Have you talked to her about getting back in school at all?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet. I was going to ask my sister to help with that. I’m not sure where to start. I guess I should look into it though, since I may not see my family until after Halloween.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh! Speaking of! What are you and Tucker doing for Halloween?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmmm, well, we usually marathon horror movies with Sam, so…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Paulina’s having a party, and she wants you both there. Especially Tucker.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did something happen with them? Tuck was asking about her too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably. Honestly, who knows with Paulina? She could just be using Tucker to make this other guy jealous, so maybe give him the heads up on that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmmm… I don’t know how I feel about that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie rolled her eyes. “I don’t think she means to do it, but it’s definitely a bad habit she has. She really thinks to herself, fuck it, I’m moving on, then this guy sees her with some other guy and comes crawling back. Then she goes, oh, shit! He does care, and takes him back. It’s exhausting. I’ve given up trying to talk her down when it happens.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I guess I’ll just give him the heads up, then.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, and the party is a costume party, so… you know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Greeeeat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanna go.” Danielle’s voice chimed in from the background. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not taking a high school kid to a college party.” Danny said firmly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think I don’t drink?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think I care? It’s about your age, and the guys that may be there hitting on someone your age.” Danielle said something Valerie couldn’t quite hear, but Danny responded, “That’s not the point. You’re not going, Danielle. If I have to get Dora to babysit you to make sure you stay in, I will.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle said something else, and Danny sighed as a door slammed. Valerie smiled. “She mad?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She says she shouldn’t have told us her age and that all we’ve done since we found out is treat her like a kid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She is a kid, and we knew that before she told us. Only reason I didn’t treat her like one before was because she was actively trying to injure me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, she doesn’t see it that way.” Valerie heard Danny’s phone buzz, and he went silent while he checked it. “Sorry, this is my sister. I’ll talk to you later. When are you getting back to Amity park?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably tonight or tomorrow. I wanted to do some research without having to hide it from my dad, and pick up more clothes. I was only supposed to stay in Amity Park for a couple days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright. Talk to you later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie disconnected and went about getting ready for the day. She had no particular plans, so she figured she would perhaps just keep researching until she hit a wall, then pack up some more clothes plus her better laptop for her return to Amity Park. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she got out to the kitchen, Wulf was pulling on his jacket. “Leaving?” Valerie asked. She sat down before the breakfast he’d made for her--eggs, bacon, and toast with her coffee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have an appointment for a six hour session in half an hour.” Wulf leaned over her and planted a kiss on her forehead, then snagged a bite of her toast. “Guy wants a big-ass Buddha back piece. I’m doing the line work and some shading today.” He paused and hesitated. “Dinner tomorrow? My treat?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie considered him. He smiled in such a way that told Valerie refusal would only end in him pouting and pretending to be okay with it. She smiled. She could stay another night or two before heading back to Amity. “Fine. Usual place?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” He beamed. He headed for the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good luck,” she called.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wulf gave her a thumbs up and headed out the door. After a moment she heard his motorcycle start up and roar away. Valerie moved back toward her room to continue research and sipped her coffee, thinking vaguely that she should ask Danny what kind of coffee maker he had. Cream and sugar was all fine, but she wanted her macchiato.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>
  
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Pizza and Halloween Candy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jazz meets Danielle, and Danielle settles into her place at Danny's.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again beta read by the lovely and ever helpful Thejordanandhervices. :) love you so much girl.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Danny answered his sister’s call and took the phone outside so Danielle couldn’t eavesdrop as she had with Valerie’s call. “Hey Jazz.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Danny, how are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the background Danny heard Kwan yelling into his microphone. Jazz shushed him and told him she was on the phone. “Oh, sorry babe. Guys, shut up. My fiance is on the phone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. Kwan was kind to a fault. He remembered Danielle’s comment about Danny’s own tendency for taking care of people, and wondered if people perceived him like he perceived Kwan. A happy, courteous idiot. The thought was less than pleasant for Danny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jazz... I’m okay. I have something to tell you.” Danny sat on the steps halfway down from his apartment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny, you okay? You sound--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam and I broke up.” Danny swallowed back the lump in his throat, and closed his eyes briefly as Jazz was silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Danny, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny hunched over, and put his forehead on his knees. “No.” He bit his lip. “No, I’m not. She didn’t even really explain why. She just… ended it. I’m afraid to talk to her about it because the only talking we do… it’s like she tries to get me to agree it’s my fault.” Danny could feel his voice about to break and stopped talking. He sucked in a breath, and let it out slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz’s tone was soothing and she said quietly, “You want me to come over?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…” Jazz continued to talk to Danny as she drove. He explained how everything went down, and how Sam had slapped him. He also spoke briefly about Sam’s jealousy over Valerie, but made it sound like Valerie was a school friend. He even borrowed Valerie’s cover story about giving Val a ride home after she drank at a party.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But there’s nothing going on between you two?” Jazz asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. She even already has a guy. When I talked to her earlier there was a guy at her place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz pulled into his parking lot, and he waved from his spot on the stairs. Jazz smiled and trotted up the steps to him. She wrapped him in her arms and he rested his head on her shoulder and hugged her back. She ran her hand through his hair, and pulled back. She smiled and plucked at a strand of his hair. “Did you get more whites again?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He plucked at her long orangy-brown locks, “Have you?” She swatted his hand away, laughing.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, shut up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He poked at her cheek. “Is Kwan okay with all these wrinkles? He's into old ladies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny!” She punched his shoulder, and though to him it felt more like a pillow than a fist he yelled, ‘ow’ and blocked her next swing at him. She slung an arm around Danny’s shoulder and behind them, Danny’s apartment door opened, and Danielle walked out, wearing a fresh pair of jeans and an old shirt of Danny’s from Amity high over a lime green tank top. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d taken Danny’s kitchen scissors to it and tied knots in it to give it a grungier look. Danny frowned. He’d liked that shirt. It didn’t fit him. Never had, but it was comfortable. “You could have at least asked.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle glanced at Jazz, then crossed her arms. “It was in a box in the closet labeled donations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny closed his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. That had probably been why he hadn’t been able to find it. Sam had hated that shirt. “Course it was. It wasn’t supposed to be though, so let me check the box before you cut up anything else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle rolled her eyes. “Kay, fine. I came out to ask if we can get pizza.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, but we aren’t eating out every night like this. We’re going grocery shopping tomorrow. Go ahead and call it in.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz was staring at Danielle’s hair. “Danny, who is this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m his cousin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz scowled and crossed her arms. “Well, that’s news to me, and I’m his sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Danielle seemed mildly surprised and looked Jazz up and down again. She was taller than Danny, long hair, blue eyes, and covered in freckles like their mother. Even though their face shapes were similar, Danny wasn’t surprised she didn’t spot the resemblance. “Well, then I’m a teenage runaway, I have the same condition as Danny which is how we found each other, and Danny is sheltering me here from my parents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz looked wildly from Danny to Danielle and back again. “What the ever-living-fuck, Danial!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eh…” Danny cringed at the look Jazz gave him. “That’s the other thing I had to tell you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, Danny, really, what’s going on.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What she said is basically true. Dora is helping. Her parents think she’s possessed because of our condition. She’s staying with me while Dora sorts it out, and looks like she’ll keep staying with me if Dora can convince her parents to sign her over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle scowled. “Well, don’t say it like they’re transferring ownership of a truck or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might as well be. You hit like one.” Danny muttered it too quietly for Jazz to hear. Danielle blanched and stomped up the stairs. Danny followed quickly after her before she had the chance to lock him out of his own apartment or something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz caught up hurriedly, and followed Danny into the apartment. Danielle had the donation box next to the sofa. She snatched up another shirt, this time a NASA shirt with a red logo and raised the scissors. Danny snatched the shirt from her. “I said let me check through them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle snatched the shirt back, and crossed her arms with it. “Fuck off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your name is Danielle?” Jazz asked. Danielle looked warily at her as she stood beside the sofa. “So Danny and Dani?” Jazz smiled and pointed between them. Danielle laughed a little and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… Guess so.” Jazz sat down next to Danielle. She held out a hand for Danielle to shake. Danielle took it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Jasmine. But everyone calls me Jazz.”  Jazz put a hand on Danielle’s shoulder. “I can’t imagine how it’s been for you. None of this can be easy. But Danny is a good guy, and I know he’s going to do what he can to make sure you're safe. I’ll help too. And I’m sure our parents….” She turned to Danny. “Have you told them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I figured I’d start with you. We need to enroll her in school too. I think online.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, got it. I’ll look into our options. Let me know when everything comes in for her custody and we’ll get her in school by the end of your fall break.” She smiled again and turned back to Danielle. “Do you have enough to wear? And uh, personal products? We can go pick some up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay. I went and got everything with Danny earlier.” Danielle looked Jazz up and down one more time. She looked at Danny. “I guess I can see you as the little brother if she’s your sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny put his hands on his hips and smiled. “Right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz looked confused but amused anyway. “I’m going to assume this is a compliment?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny crossed his arms. “Pretty much, yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jazz started hitting Danielle with a barrage of questions about school, her future ambitions, and even dating. Danielle seemed just amused enough to answer. She pulled another shirt, and with Danny’s say so, started cutting and altering this one too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny figured the girls were safe to leave a while, and went out to get dinner. He pulled into the lot of his favorite pizza place, but as he was about to head in, he spotted Sam’s car in the lot. He hesitated, then decided he wasn’t quite brave enough to meet her just now, and pulled back out of the lot. He drove about ten minutes to the restaurant’s other location, and went inside to order, feeling a little defeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lounged against one wall with his arms crossed, feeling suddenly deflated. Was this going to be how he was from now on? Valerie’s voice echoed in his head:</span>
  <em>
    <span> Don’t let her push you out of your space.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Isn’t that what he’d just done? Sam didn’t even like that pizza place as much as he did, and there were other locations closer to her apartment and her parents. Why did she have to ruin </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>spot for him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time, thoughts of Sam were starting to make Danny feel bitter, and a bit resentful. He shook his head. That can’t be good, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny collected his pizzas and drinks and went back out to the car. He was about to pull the door, when a chill ran down his spine, and he suddenly knew someone was there, watching him. He paused, hand on the door handle. It was a Vampire. It had to be. Slowly, he slid the food into the passenger side of his car and closed the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Where was it? Behind him. Just out of sight, so probably on the rooftop. Who was it? Danny thought of the arrow in Danielle’s leg. Had to be the skulker, right? He turned slowly, and looked up at the rooftop. Mistake. The Vampire knew Danny was aware of him, and started to move closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The parking lot--nestled between two taller buildings--was all in shadow at this time of day. There was nowhere Danny could quickly get to that the Vampire could not also reach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny swallowed nervously as his stomach did backflip after backflip. What would he do if Skulker attacked? Should he run? Should he get to where other people are? No, surely not. Skulker had been prepared to attack in the middle of the school bookstore. No way he would hold back from attacking in a small pizza shop with just a couple people in it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Skulker continued to move closer and closer. Then the door to the shop opened, and a group of teenagers exited behind Danny. His heart was thudding in his chest as he felt the Vampire pause. They both were frozen. From the corner of his eye, Danny caught the teens looking over at him where he was staring up at the building next door. He turned slowly, until his back was to the Vampire, and pulled out his phone. He swiped back and forth through the same two screens, focusing on the Vampire’s presence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It moved a little closer, and paused again. The teens quickly lost interest in Danny, but instead of leaving, decided to take up seats at the benches and tables outside the shop, and ate their pizza and wings outside. Behind him, the Vampire moved a little closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>These teens seemed mostly younger than Danielle, and there were eight or nine of them. If Skulker attacked, surely he wouldn’t want witnesses… Danny couldn’t protect them all if Skulker reached them. If it came to it, Danny had to get to Skulker before he got that far. Danny’s jaw was clenched and the tension across his shoulders was causing them to ache. He was still, and so was the Vampire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s phone rang, and he ignored it. He could barely hear the ringing over his own heartbeat. Then suddenly, the Vampire's presence faded away. Surely, he'd turned to mist again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny felt the tension leave him, and let out a shaky breath he'd been holding. He suddenly realized the teens were looking over at him again, and realized his eyes may be red again when he heard one of them say, "It's weird."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well he's been staring at his phone. Maybe he got dumped over text."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Should we ask if he's okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny closed his eyes and cursed under his breath as he climbed in his car and left the parking lot quickly as he could. When Danny returned to his apartment he was on high alert, looking for signs he was being followed. He didn’t see or sense anything, but he now knew that didn’t mean no one was there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made it back to his apartment without incident. He trotted up the stairs and found Danielle was still sitting with Jazz on the sofa, seemingly talking about Danielle’s academic record. Jazz was going on at length about the importance of finding a school that would work for Danielle’s needs and future interests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was sure Danielle had heard him coming up the steps outside, because even as he opened the door, she was jumping back over the sofa and bounding toward Danny. “Finally! I’m so hungry!” She said. Under her breath so only Danny could hear, she whispered, “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>cannot</span>
  </em>
  <span> take anymore school talk. Save me. Also I told her we met on a forum for the game Doom, and realized we had the same condition. I told her we’ve been talking a couple months. I think she was curious why I would come running to you of all people when leaving home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably,” Danny responded, grabbing plates and cups. Then at normal volume he said, “Yeah, there was a line. Sorry I took so long.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They chatted for just a little while more before Danny distracted Jazz by putting on a movie. Danielle fell asleep part way through, and Jazz excused herself. Danny walked her to the door, and Jazz said quietly, “You should really tell Mom and Dad about this Danny, if she's going to end up here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will. I swear. Nothing is for sure yet, so… you know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I get it. It’s a good thing you’re doing by letting her stay, little brother.” She pinched his cheek, and he wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue at her. She laughed and kissed his cheek before she walked off. Out of the corner of his eye, Danny caught the downstairs neighbor watching Jazz pass through a crack in their blinds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny rolled his eyes, and as soon as Jazz was safely in her car and drove off with a wave, he closed the door. Danielle continued to sleep, and Danny covered her with a blanket before he went in his room. He sighed, still feeling restless, and finally started digging for his old phone to reactivate it for Danielle. He would give it to her when she woke from her nap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie called Danny late in the day to let him know she would be away a few more days. Danny decided he would use the time to figure out things with Danielle’s situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next few days he spent doing exactly that. Dora came through by the end of the week with  papers naming her as an official guardian for Danielle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re too young, Danial. The paperwork already went through quickly enough to draw eyes from the wrong people if we aren’t careful. I don’t want to give anyone a reason to think this is some weird older boyfriend thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle wrinkled her nose at the thought, looking Danny up and down, “Gross.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I should be insulted, but I actually agree. Good call, Dora.” Danny nodded to her. They were standing outside the attic studio apartment above Danny’s. His landlord, a kind--if a little strange--recluse, had given Danny the key and shuffled off to continue writing his “magnum opus” without asking Danny for so much as a signature. Danny sighed, and made a mental note to track him down to do it later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny let them all into the space. It, like Danny’s apartment, was remodeled just long enough ago that despite the modern appliances, the older tile designs in the kitchenette area and bathroom along with the old flowery wallpaper made the space feel a little creepy. At least to Danny. Danielle was looking around with interest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The ceiling is higher than I thought it would be from where the windows sit. It feels like it's bigger than your apartment, Danny.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Might be by square foot. I have half a floor. Yours doesn’t have any walls plus it spans over most of both halves of the floors below.” Danny looked around too, hands on hips. He wasn’t worried about getting furniture to the third floor, he and Danielle were plenty strong enough, but the door was small. They may have to bring it all up in pieces, and assemble it inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the apartment had been secured, Danny had set a budget based on the support Dora had quoted him, and suggested Danielle order some furniture. It would all be arriving the next day--the 30th-- and he had promised to spend some time putting it all together with her before the party on Halloween night. Looking around, he realized there was no closet in here, and he should go back and order her a wardrobe or dresser of some kind. Thinking about it, his old one may still be at his parents house. Maybe he should ask for that one instead. If it mattered to her that it matched the rest of her furniture, Danielle could paint it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dora was looking around also. “I noticed your apartment is spell guarded, Danny. I thought you weren’t home at first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Valerie did that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that… hunter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Her. It may be a good idea if she’s willing to do the same for Danielle’s space, as well, huh? I’ll ask her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Dora tossed her long braid and said, “I wish you were better at picking girls, Danial. What happened to the other one? The one that always wore those ugly combat boots when you were in high school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She broke up with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>She</span>
  </em>
  <span> broke up with </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Dora curled her lip, seemingly in disgust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. And Valerie is just a friend, by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that why she was smelt so strongly like you? Friends don’t usually get that close, Danial.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I noticed that too.” Danielle chimed in. She had just opened the window, and was looking out at the surrounding neighborhood. “I just assumed you guys were fucking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny groaned. “No! When we met you, I’d known her for maybe two days. If she smelled like me it's because I let her sleep over after </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> crushed her friggin wrist and a couple ribs. Which you still haven’t apologized for.” Danny pointed at her accusingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you?” Dora chuckled amusedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Then she threw a car engine at me. Which she never apologized for either… so… you know. Even.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Except not, because then she pulled an arrow out of your leg, and helped take care of you all night when you were feeling sick because of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle huffed, rolled her eyes, and started scrolling through the old phone Danny had given her. For all her complaining about being treated like a child, Danny privately thought she sure seemed even more her age lately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t long after that Dora said goodbye to Danielle with a promise to return Halloween night while Danny and Valerie were at the party, and Danny walked her down to her car. It was nearing three in the morning. Dora didn’t sleep, but Danny sure did, and he was exhausted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s a sweet girl,” Dora said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When she wants to be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dora folded her hands in front of her skirt. “Her adoptive family probably wasn’t very helpful. They were… odd. I’m not even quite sure they were at all worried about Danielle being gone. From what I could glean, it seemed the mother may have glimpsed Danielle when her eyes were red, as I’ve seen yours before, and from that incident convinced herself and her husband Danielle was corrupted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So they were probably relieved she was gone, if anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unfortunately. Though oddly, they resisted signing her over to me, at first. Of course I had them… convinced... in quick fashion. I would like to take this young Vampiress under my wing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it means teaching her to eat people, then absolutely not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmph. Not everyone has the same hang ups as you, Danial. Besides, I personally haven't fed from the vein in a long time.  The nip I take to perform a glamour doesn't compare. I could teach her methods like mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If she asks, I won’t stop her, but I’m asking you, please, Dora. Don’t put it in her head. She doesn’t need it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps. And perhaps you wouldn’t struggle so much with your thirst if you indulged in your nature as well. Don’t deprive her because of some moral walls you’ve fabricated for yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. “I’m not going to argue about this.” He yawned and crossed his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed. She leaned down, cleared his hair from his forehead, and planted a light kiss there. “Good night, Danial.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He yawned again, and smiled. “Night.” He trotted back up to his own apartment to find Danielle already back on his sofa. She was stretched out with a bowl of popcorn. He sat on the floor in front of her and reached for some as well. “What we watching?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle shrugged. “Dunno, some old kid’s Halloween movie. I think it’s the boogieman that’s gonna get her. Or maybe the little brother’s imaginary friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if it’s a kids movie, probably neither.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle shrugged again. Danny was asleep before they got close to finding out, and woke late into the afternoon wedged between the coffee table and the sofa. Danielle was sitting on the sofa looking down on him from one side, and Valerie was standing over him with arms crossed and an eyebrow raised, looking at him from the other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groaned and scrubbed at his eyes with the palms of his hands. “Was it the boogieman?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Valerie asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her imaginary friend became the boogieman cause she forgot him. They made up and no one died.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lame. But I told you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did. King of predicting Disney plot twists.” She put on a movie and Valerie gave Danny a hand up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you get back?” Danny asked. He noted the hickeys on her neck and moved toward his kitchen for coffee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Last night.” She followed him, and he realized there was a halloween store shopping bag near the door. He pointed to it curiously, and she answered, “Stopped there on my way over here. Paulina thought I should go scary and be a sexy, bloody Vampire, but I decided on a sexy pirate instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny rolled his eyes. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but fair warning, Star may do the vampire thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha, cool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle leaned momentarily over the back of the sofa. “Val got me these, look.” Danny looked and saw she was wearing ghost themed flannel pajamas and new striped socks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cute.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle smiled and sat back down facing the TV. Danny smiled to himself. So Danielle also was calling her Val now. Guess she’d been won over.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny yawned, downed his coffee and poured a second cup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tired?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I was up super early yesterday, and didn’t get to bed til like, four.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sorry. Well, I did some research while I was away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie sat next to him on the counter and pulled out her notebook. Danny was suddenly eye level with another hickey and hurriedly looked away before she caught him staring. “So, while I was away, I did manage to find a clear picture of our bookstore vampire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She showed Danny the picture saved on her phone, a tall man with a long, slim face and curls pulled into a ponytail over his shoulder and truly unfortunate bangs. His style screamed early 80’s, but the photo was dated to the late 90’s. </span>
</p><p><span>“Yikes.” </span>Danny grimaced at the photo. </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. he doesn’t seem to get out much. It wasn’t too bad when he came out in 1906 looking like he was dressed for 1860. It's become a little more noticeable since fashion has changed more drastically every decade.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I also found a forum that claims the bookstore is haunted, so that’s cool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not surprised. It’s an old building.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well supposedly, the girls who work there all seem to ‘fall in love’ with some guy they all describe as tall and otherworldly in some way, then they go off and marry him and disappear. They all have dark hair and pale skin, and others describe them as nerdy or lonely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… he’s killing them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged. “No way to know that part. From what I can tell though, he really does marry them, and they move away around the same time as when Dora moves abroad to hide that she isn’t aging. Seems the girls are to be his willing blood supply til they die. Causes listed are all different. Heart failure, brain aneurysm, etc. But they all lived to be well over 80 to 90, so…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly a serial killer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope. I don’t get it, but as long as he doesn’t glamour them to convince them to let him feed, I guess his way isn’t as bad as… others I’ve seen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny still felt a chill run down his spine. He’d seen worse too. He sipped his second cup of coffee more slowly. “Plans for the day?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Helping Paulina decorate and get snacks and shit. She’s doing the party at her grandparent’s place because it’s huge and actually kind of creepy. It's an old ass mansion and it’s down the street from this graveyard that people say is haunted. I think Paulina wants to go to the graveyard and do some ghost hunting at the witching hour.” She waved her fingers and added the last bit in a mock spooky voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laughed. “Ghost hunting with a bunch of drunk people? Fuuuuun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’m planning to be gone by then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m probably going to end up babysitting Tucker. He’s such a lightweight and I don’t usually drink, so. . .”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know a bunch of beer that says otherwise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That was different… it was Sam’s favorite in there… and I just kind of wanted it gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coulda poured it all down the sink. No one told you to chug nine of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shrugged. “I was upset, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She clapped him on the shoulder. “I know. I’m just joking.” She hopped off the counter. “I’m going to head out. Be ready. Day after Halloween I’m going back after our Vampy stalkers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. Why not Halloween? You were in such a hurry before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s gonna be a full moon. And All Hallow’s Eve. I’m not going to risk fighting them when they may be experiencing a supernatural power boost.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, so I wasn’t imagining that? I’m really stronger on full moons?” Danielle asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. “Nobody really knows why. Most people attribute it to the nature of the Vampire. Some say they draw extra power straight from Hell when their connection to the spirits and demons are so open. Whatever it is, something about Halloween gives them a boost. I’ve personally taken a hit from a Vampire on Halloween that previously hadn’t been able to touch me, yet on Halloween night he sent me through a wall and I really thought I was going to die. Ergo, gonna avoid it till I have a better chance against one. They haven’t made a move so far. I’m going to assume for now they’re just keeping tabs on us and not going to act until they see us making headway in the investigation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny swallowed. He didn’t want to fight an extra powered Skulker either. “Why would that be what they were waiting for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I assume now that Poindexter and Thomas were attacked for what they were researching. If we assume that these Vampires did it, they may be waiting to see if we’re also going to try looking into what got Thomas killed or if we’re just going to stop when we solve who committed the murder.” She shrugged. “That’s my guess, anyway. If they wanted to just attack us for looking into the murder alone,  they would have done that several times over already. There’s something further I think they don’t want us to know, or don’t want us looking into.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if it’s just these key things? That they think we have them and want them back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why haven't they even tried looking through either of our places? They have to know at least where you live.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shrugged. He was just throwing out ideas too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ll see you both later, or probably tomorrow. Paulina’s going to want to do mani-pedis and probably scary movies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie waved to both of them and left. It was only about ten minutes later Danielle hopped excitedly over the back of the sofa, waving her phone with an open notification, declaring her furniture had been delivered. Danny downed his coffee and poured a third cup in a lidded tumbler as he followed her down to retrieve her packages and bring them upstairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny got up later than he thought, and by time they’d brought everything up and grabbed some dinner, it was already too late in the evening to bring out the loud hammers or power tools to assemble the heavy furniture. They settled for at least putting together her side tables and bar stools. Then she started putting up a few smaller things like a cork board, string lights and a medium sized terrarium. Inside was a small bonsai tree with mosses and stones around it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never been allowed to have anything like this, and I’ve always wanted one,” she’d begged when Danny bought it for her. She hung it near the window, and smiled as the last rays of sunlight played off the glass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she moved around, making the space more her own, Danny toiled on, growing frustrated and convinced he was missing some screws. Finally he declared himself done. “I give up! We’ll work on it more tomorrow.” He picked up her queen sized mattress and frame and leaned them against the wall, still wrapped in plastic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kay. I also realized we forgot to get bedding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awesome. What’s 40 more bucks on top of the hundreds so far?” He groaned. “I’ll worry about it Sunday morning after the party.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle was quiet as he walked back down to his apartment. “Thanks Danny.” She said as they got inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned to her, and saw she looked a little shy and was staring at her feet. “I… hadn’t thanked you yet and I… I know it’s all been a lot really fast. I mean, I complained to my teachers about my family and they shook their heads but they didn’t do anything. And I get Val was worried about them hurting me or making me hurt someone by accident, but I’ve still never,” she blushed, and gestured to Danny, “Had someone I can, you know,” She gestured again. “You know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny smiled. “Not really, I mean your welcome, but I’m not sure what for there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blushed even deeper, though due to her Vampiric nature it was still barely visible. “I've never had someone older than me I can… trust, and… and ask for things without being in trouble… and…. Talk to… and stuff.” She was kicking at his doormat, still leaning on the door, not looking at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled, amused, and moved close to her. He ruffled her hair. He’d enjoyed their time together also, if he was honest. Even when she was being a little bratty, she was still careful about his budget and asked his opinions like they really mattered to her. He pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and embraced him back more readily than he’d expected given her normal habit of pushing off open affection. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood there like that a while, until she pulled away, still not looking at him, and mumbled she was taking a shower before bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went in after her, and by time he got out, she was fast asleep on the sofa. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next day he managed to get up a little earlier than 8am, and took a large coffee upstairs to start working on the bed frame and bookshelves. Around mid-afternoon Danielle came upstairs wearing a t-shirt with a jack-o-lantern on it and joined him in putting her bed frame together. She was just flipping the mattress on top when Danny’s phone buzzed. It was tucker, sending him a picture of himself in pharaoh's garb. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Return of the King Tuck. Bow peasant and pay homage.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laughed and shot back: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t get shut in your sarcophagus again.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His phone buzzed again and looked at it expecting Valerie checking in, or maybe even his mom, who usually texted him every major holiday. Instead he looked at the screen and his heart stopped. Sam was texting him. All he could see was </span>
  <em>
    <span>hey…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to open the notification to see the rest of the message. He hesitated. He should just delete it. He should. He looked up at Danielle as she was jumping on her bed and texting. He swallowed nervously, and opened the text.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey... Danny, I don’t like not talking to you. I feel selfish for kind of hoping you miss me too. I know I hurt you. Would you maybe wanna come over? Or I can go over, and we can marathon monster movies like we always do and talk?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s hand was shaking, hovering over the keyboard on his phone. What should he say? Danielle had noticed his apparent distraction and hopped from the bed across the floor to land behind him. She landed with hardly a sound and looked over his shoulder. He pulled his phone in toward himself and glared at her. “What?” he snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry! Jeez! Goddamn.” She crossed her arms and stalked away. She paused, pouting. He felt a little guilty himself and was about to apologize for snapping at her. She turned and said, “Sorry for snooping. I saw the name Sam…” Danny froze up. “Is that your ex? Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looked up at Danielle’s face. She looked almost nervous, and he smiled at her. He exited the messaging app and pocketed his phone. “I’m okay. Yeah, it was her. She wants to…” She ran a hand through his hair and bit his lip. “Uh, I don’t know. I guess hang out. Talk. I feel like I should say… something right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmmm… did you break up with her or did she break up with you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Second one.” Danny mumbled it. He’s said it out loud before, so why did it hurt to say?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then fuck her. She ditched you. If she wanted to talk she shoulda done it before. When I broke up with my ex it was because talking didn’t work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was a bit surprised. “You? Dating? How old are you again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seventeen, fuck off. How old are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You can’t be that much older than me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty-four. Almost twenty-five. A whole seven years older. And?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle crossed her arms again. She seemed to realize she had no real point and just mumbled. “Whatever. Old man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” He stood and stretched. It was near seven already. His phone went off again, and this time it was Valerie. A picture message of her in a bathroom mirror with her hair pinned back and Paulina using a makeup brush while talking. The caption: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Paulina says come over early. Round 9. Most will come around 10 or 11. I think she wants extra time with Tucker before everyone else gets here.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny snapped a picture of Danielle jumping on the bed and responded, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gotta go get some sheets and pillows. Then Dinner. Then I’ll take a shower and get ready.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie responded saying Danielle looked almost like a cute normal girl and not a giant pain in her ass. Danny decided not to relay the message and went down to his apartment to grab his wallet and keys. Danielle followed after, jumping over him from the top of the stairs to the bottom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle,” Danny hissed. “Keep the Vampire gymnastics to a minimum please. I have the nosiest neighbors. I don’t need them calling their own exorcists here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle stuck her tongue out at him. “Laaaame. Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hours later, Danny stepped out of the shower and quickly towel dried his hair. He threw on a white sweater on his way out the door. “Don’t eat all that candy!” he called back to Danielle and Dora on the sofa. Danielle responded with a middle finger and Dora by turning up the volume on Hocus Pocus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll eat as much as I want, boy,” Dora said with a haughty flip of her hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny sighed. “Well, Happy Halloween. I’ll probably be taking care of drunkards all night so I’ll see you in the morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy Halloween.” Danielle mumbled, eyes on the screen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny followed his GPS to the address Valerie had provided. The sun had long set, and the full moon was bright. To Danny’s enhanced vision it may as well be midday. He thought about what Valerie said about Vampires’ boosted abilities under a full moon. He gripped the steering wheel a little nervously, thinking of the other day when he’d sensed he was being watched. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The road he was on began to wind. The trees became large and old as the houses and yards they sat in. He remembered that Paulina came from money. He was a little startled how much and wondered why the hell Paulina had been in a public school. Danny pulled up to a huge old property and parked on the street behind a car he recognized as Valerie’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He used a little Vamp speed to shorten the trip up to the front door, and knocked. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Halloween</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Time for a Halloween party at Paulina’s house!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Beta once again is thejordanandhervices</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Valerie was sitting on the counter, pulling up her thigh high boots when there was a knock at the door downstairs. Danny must have arrived. Valerie hopped off the counter while Paulina very carefully applied her heavy eye liner for her Cleopatra look. Star sat up straighter on Paulina’s other side where she was finishing up her Vampire look with fake blood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go let him in,” Valerie told the other two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell him Tucker said he’s the designated driver,” Paulina said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell him… no wait. I’ll tell him. No… I gotta fix my bra. So, yeah, tell him I wanna dance with him later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie rolled her eyes as she walked to the grand staircase. As she had a thousand times before since childhood, she hopped on the banister and slid down to ground level. Paulina’s grandparent’s maid had let Danny in, and he was politely declining her offer to take his sweater. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was looking around at the workers milling around, setting up a bar and a snack area. Valerie supposed Danny had expected a small houseparty. She knew otherwise from the moment Paulina had brought up the idea. Paulina didn’t do small parties. She’d brought in a caterer, including a baker to bring in Halloween appropriate treats, a DJ, and even a small bit of security to protect her grandparents’ property and escort people safely home or to their cars later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d taken the sweater off, and Valerie looked him up and down. His jeans fitted rather nicely, but his shirt was huge, baggy, shapeless. It was a faded NASA shirt. On a smallish sticker on his chest, read the words, “Hello, my name is Buzz Aldrin.” Valerie had to work hard not to roll her eyes as he turned to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes widened a moment as he took her in. He looked away and then looked at her again, smiling sheepishly. “You look beautiful,” he said, “being a pirate suits you, weirdly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie smiled. She was wearing a loose fitted tunic with a corset, tights, her boots, and she’d dressed it up with a headband and lots of clunky gold jewelry. “I had an eyepatch too, but Paulina said to skip it. Come on. We can wait for them to finish getting ready upstairs. Tucker’s supposed to be here soon too.” She looked him up and down once more before she stifled a laugh. “Paulina’s never gonna let your costume fly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong with it?” He looked down at himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tapped her own chest. “The name badge is too subtle. If it's not gonna show up in a picture, she won’t want you wearing it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Valerie warned, upon seeing Danny, Paulina and Star both shook their heads no. “No! Danny, no one can even read that without being right here.” She stepped right up to his chest. “Here, I have other things I didn’t go with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought it was clever,” Danny mumbled defensively as they cornered him. Star sat him down on the edge of the tub and Valerie hopped back up on her spot on the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star picked up his white sweater. “This is cute though. Maybe look for something to go with this, Paulina.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not about to wear a women’s costume.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not! I just don't want to post pictures and everyone in the comments is asking what that guy with the white hair is.” She pulled a set of long ears and a cottontail from her shopping bag. “How about this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cute!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny groaned and looked over to Valerie for help. She shrugged. “Up to you,” She said. She was amused to see the pained look on Danny’s face even as he stood up and stripped the shirt as Star asked. Valerie caught Star ogling Danny’s admittedly toned chest and back before he slipped the sweater on instead. Then Paulina attached the tail to the back of his jeans for him. She grabbed her palette to add a nose and whiskers when there was another knock on the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s probably Tucker,” Paulina said excitedly. She pushed the make up to Star, who pushed it to Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanna see this,” and she trotted off after Paulina. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie chuckled and opened the palette and grabbed a clean brush. “I thought for sure Star was gonna want to do your makeup.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kind of glad she didn’t.” He looked a little pained. “I’m not sure how to handle her up that close. She touches me enough as it is. I don’t want to be rude, but I don't want to give her mixed signals either.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s just got a light crush. Pro-tip. Tell her you have a cat and show her your nails and she’ll start moving on like that,” She snapped her fingers. Then she took his chin in her hand and angled his face upward toward her so she could start working. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t like cats?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hates them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But why would my na-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh-- stop talking. I’m trying to get this area by your mouth.” He went silent. “She doesn't like long nails on guys. She’ll ask you if you’ve thought about cutting them. Tell her you like them long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I can’t hel-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie grabbed his chin to halt his movement and he closed his mouth again and rolled his eyes. She grabbed a liner off the counter to draw in his whiskers, and outline the pink on his nose. He flinched back from it and she laughed as she blocked him from rubbing his nose. “Well don't ruin it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed too, “Well, it tickles!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finished his quick look by touseling his hair and pinning in the big bunny ear headband for him. He sighed when he looked at himself in the mirror. “It’s probably unisex,” he shook his head, “Doesn’t feel like it, though.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She patted his back. “You’ll be fine. You don’t like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I look very…” he glanced at her, “...cute. Wouldn’t have chosen it for myself, is all.” Valerie wondered if maybe he was afraid to hurt her feelings about the make up. She supposed it was a touch feminine, if a bunny could be described that way. She only ever did her own make up though, and was quite proud of the work she’d done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can still wash it off and wear your thing. Just let Paulina be mad for a second. She’ll talk shit like two seconds and get over it when she gets a couple shots in her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. It’s easier to just go with it. I’d rather not cause trouble. It’s her party.” He shrugged. Then he crossed his arms and leaned on the counter next to her. “You know your friends really well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Bet you they can do the same for me. Paulina and I have known each other since kindergarten. Star we met in middle school and we’ve all been besties ever since.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do they know about…” Danny reached over and reached under the sash on her waist. Surprised, Valerie grabbed his wrist, and he stopped short of her knife. The gun tucked away in her costume holder was also the real deal. “All this?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Well, Paulina knows I’m up to... something… when I travel. She doesn’t know what. Just that I can’t tell my dad and it means that I’m away. I think she thinks I either hook up with Wulf at conventions or have some kind of shady job to do with him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wulf?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, my…” She self consciously pulled her hair over her hickeys. She knew he’d probably already seen them. Friggin’ everyone had. Her dad had lectured her about that no good tattooed boy for an hour when he had. “My friend. He also taught me alot about hunting, but his day job is as a tattoo artist. A lot of the time, especially early on in my hunting, he would travel with me while I did, teaching me in the field and making sure I was safe. He also gave me these.” She held out her tattooed hand and showed Danny the little puzzle piece on her ankle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny focused on her ankle. “I hadn’t really even noticed that one. What’s it for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mom,” Valerie answered shortly. Danny left it at that. They made their way downstairs to see Tucker getting fawned over by Paulina and some early party guests arriving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! Is that Fentonio!?” Danny closed his eyes and Valerie choked back a laugh at the expression on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Dash.” Danny waved to a large blonde man dressed as a priest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Many of the guests were old classmates from Amity High, but most were from Amity University. Danny mingled mostly with the latter group when he mingled at all. He said he wasn't well liked in high school and didn’t feel like reminiscing about it. He also already had to field a couple questions asking if he and Sam were still an item and seemed anxious to be around people that were less likely to know her. Most of the night though, Danny spent time near Valerie. She didn’t mind, and threw back her shots with everyone else, laughing and dancing wildly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pictures were taken throughout the night and so were many, many shots. A large room on the ground floor had been cleared of furniture and decorated much like their escape room with added jack-o-lanterns for mood lighting. The floor was so packed, the music so loud, the bar so crowded, it was easy to forget they were at someone’s house and not an actual bar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was laughing and swaying to the beat when Star finally trapped Danny for that dance she’d promised. The image was made even funnier by the fact Danny was dressed as a white rabbit and her, a blood covered Vampiress. Then someone tapped Valerie on the shoulder. She turned, and was faced with the big bad wolf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sexiest pirate on the seven seas, though I was hoping to find a little red riding hood.” Wulf said with a smile. He was wearing a greyish fur coat and ears, and had added his own make up, and colored contacts. She smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There be no little lost girls here.” She said with her best ‘pirate’ voice, then on a giggle, she asked, “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your friend invited me,” he grabbed her hand and twirled her around. She stumbled a little and giggled again when he caught her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I’m already a little tipsy.” She waved a hand. “I’m fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled. “I have some catching up to do.” He put his arm around her, and she walked with him to the bar. She ordered a shot, and so did he. Then he grabbed and downed them both. When she pouted, he smiled and leaned close to say over the music, “Can't have you getting too far ahead of me, Love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled and when his next drink came, she hip bumped him out of the way, grabbed it, and chugged half. He was smiling mischievously as he pulled her into a hug to pull her close enough to snatch it back. She was laughing and trying to pull away, but he knew her weak spots and soon wrested the cup from her as he tickled her side and plied small ticklish kisses up her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finally gave up and got her own drink. They swayed near the edge of the dance floor for a while before Danny wandered over again. He had a big red lip print on his neck. “Take her back,” He said. “I don’t want her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie laughed. “You do what I said?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head, “You’re giving her too much time. The more time you take because you’re trying not to hurt her feelings the more she’s likely to catch actual feelings, and she may want to put up with a cat if she likes you enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Star?” Wulf asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup. Oh, Danny, this is Wulf, the one I told you about earlier. Wulf this if Danny. I think I mentioned him to you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” Wulf said. “This is the one.” The men shook hands. “This half-breed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s smile faded. “Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie batted at Wulf’s arms. Being a bit tipsy, she hit harder than she thought and Wulf actually staggered a bit. “Be nice.” She turned to Danny, “Sorry, he can be such a dick.” She was bumped from the side, and staggered a little. She grabbed onto Danny as both men reached for her. “Ooops.” She giggled again. “Where’s Paulina? It’s already like one.” She turned looking for Paulina, then caught sight of the snack table. “Oh, you know what?” She grabbed Danny and Wulf and dragged them to the table. “I want another cupcake!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny reached for one of the last red velvet ones off the rack and held it above her as he laughed bemusedly when he jumped for it. “You’ve already had like four of this kind. I want this one. Go get a vanilla,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re good,” She whined. “Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wulf tapped her shoulder and she turned toward him just in time for him to catch her nose with frosting. She laughed and called him an asshole. Then she stole the cupcake he’d attacked her with-- vanilla-- and bit into it. If she was a little more sober she may have remembered Wulf doesn’t like sweets.  She hummed and bopped to the music a bit as she ate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t notice Danny position himself to block her from getting bumped again. He was sturdier than he looked for sure, and Dash moved away with a slurred apology, rubbing his shoulder. The dance floor slowly started to empty, and the caterers started packing away their wares. Valerie was swaying to a song, leaning on Wulf, and Danny had found a classmate from the university to chat with for a while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie had been cut off before two in the morning, and was at a comfortable level of buzz where everything was just a little bit fuzzy and funny and she was very happy. Paulina and Tucker were swaying on the dance floor near Valerie. Paulina gave Valerie a thumbs up, and Star was nowhere to be seen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Valerie asked Paulina she shrugged. “Last I saw her was with some guy dressed in a swat costume.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Wulf pulled Valerie close, and kissed her gently on her cheek. She turned her head, and caught his lips with hers. She was happy to lean into him, comfortable in his arms, and sad when he pulled away. He pressed another kiss to her forehead. “I have to go, Valerie.” He said. “I have to open the shop tomorrow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie sighed, holding to his coat. She reached up on tip toe and played with one of his costume ears. “You sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I am, sadly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed her again. She walked him to the door, then halfway down the drive. “Go back in for now, Love. Be careful at the cemetery.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saluted him. “Yes, sir.” He laughed, climbing on his motorcycle, and roared away with a wink and a wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Valerie went back inside she found Danny holding a couple more cupcakes as he sat on a chair near the empty snack table. He offered her one when he saw her approach. She placed both hands on his thigh, leaning over, and bit into it where he held it midair. She giggled as she wiped at the frosting mustache it left behind. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “No problem.” She took the bitten treat from him and sat on his lap to finish it. She didn’t notice him blush. Star, Paulina and Tucker joined them soon after, when finally, at near 3am, the house was finally empty of everyone but them, and the staff from the caterers. Paulina settled her tab with her father’s credit card, then she gathered their small group again, holding something behind her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” she said, “Here’ssa plan. The grounds out that way,” She waved a hand vaguely north, “are all where the graveyard ssstarts. It’s juss muhfamily graveyard, bu- still, I figure we go out, find a cool spot, and do th-thi-this,” She held up a ouiji board, just barely avoiding dropping it. She swayed a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star gasped, Tucker looked nervously at Valerie and Danny. Danny shrugged at him. Valerie held up a hand in a so-so gesture. Forms of the spirit board have existed a long time. There were ways to use them that would result in hauntings, summoned demons, etc., but as long as Valerie and Danny didn’t participate, a bunch of tipsy amateurs in a family graveyard were unlikely to summon anything. No guarantee, because it was technically All Hallows Day now technically, and no longer the eve, but still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They grabbed soda and chips and headed out together through the trees behind the mansion. They walked only a short way, really, but at least half their group was staggering most of the walk uphill, and the trees were dense enough that the mansion was completely out of sight by time they reached the wrought iron gates of the cemetery. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By Danny and Tucker’s reactions, it was much bigger than they had expected. The mausoleum in the center of the graveyard was large and impressive in its own right. It was divided into two parts. The front was about the size of a large shipping container. It was rectangular, and housed the dead in its walls. The main feature, and the one Valerie watched Danny and Tucker focus on now, was the bell tower at the back. Inside, Valerie knew there was a narrow winding staircase, just big enough for one or two people abreast to climb at a time, that wound to the top of a three story tower. High off the ground, a statue of the Virgin Mary faced east, looking out over the front of the mausoleum and the rest of the graveyard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie had seen it all a handful of times when she was younger. She and Paulina played tag with her cousins, ducking in and out around graves and hiding in the small alcoves carved on the inside of the tower. They had once probably housed small statues, but they were long empty, and were perfect hiding places for hide and seek. Valerie smiled at the memory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina seemed to be reminiscing also, and she smiled as she clung to Tucker’s arm. “So,” she started, “Ghost hunting. Where do we start?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, I guess we just start walking around, and record ourselves asking questions, I think?” Danny offered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star pulled out her phone, and shouted, “What’s your favorite food?” She held her phone out for Danny to answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re supposed to ask the ghost questions,” Valerie said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The ghost can answer too, I guess,” she giggled and bumped shoulders with Danny. He laughed awkwardly, grabbed Valerie by the shoulder and switched places with her so Valerie was between him and Star. Valerie took the hint and hooked an arm around Star’s shoulder as they walked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the group wandered the graveward, Danny found a boulder to lounge on while the others moved about in the semi dark. Paulina was taking pictures on her phone and Star was still recording herself, though her questions had turned more into mumbling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was humming happily to herself, twisting a curl around her finger, and trailing behind Paulina and Tucker mostly. Suddenly, when Tucker snapped a photo of Danny, Paulina gasped. Valerie skipped forward and looked over Paulina’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!?” Star stumbled over as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all gathered around the phone to look at what had startled her. It was a poorly lit photo of Danny on the boulder, and some ten yards behind him, was a blur that looked to Valerie like an odd shadow. “Woah, is that… a real ghost?” Tucker asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shrugged. “Probably not a </span>
  <em>
    <span>ghost.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Danny raised his eyebrows at her and made a hurried shushing gesture, but he needn’t have bothered. The other three were distracted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looks like it was going in the mausoleum,” Star led the way toward it. Valerie doubted they’d find anything but allowed Paulina to grab her hand and pull her along. Danny sighed behind her, and trailed after the group. They stepped in the mausoleum, and Paulina moved to the back of the rectangular space to flip a switch and turn on the lights in the place. To their left and right were rows of entombed caskets behind carved marble slabs. In the center of the room was an ornate raised stone slab that was sometimes a temporary resting place for some of Paulina’s ancestors and relatives during services.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie turned back to Danny and saw he was giving the plaque near him the side eye. He had wrinkled his nose a bit and brought a hand to his face, trying to subtly hold his nose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie tapped on his shoulder. “You okay? Y’look sick,” she slurred a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shook his head and glanced at the rest of the group before answering. “It’s… I don’t like the smell in here. Maybe because there’re so many bodies in here, but it’s a really strong one. Especially from this one.” He pointed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked, and had to lean forward to read the name engraved there. Richardo Sanchez. And below that, dates of birth and death that meant he had been almost a hundred years old. The date of death was just over two months ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two months ago already. And it’s that strong?” When Danny nodded, Valerie hummed a little again, pondering her options. She didn’t realize she was leaning forward until her head was resting against the wall. She giggled a little when she realized it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, hmm. Here.” She pulled her compact mirror, her lip balm, and small bottle of scented lotion from her pocket, and offered the lotion to him before stuffing the rest back in. He smiled, and checked the others were busy before he rubbed a liberal amount of the sweet smelling hand lotion under his nose. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No phone in there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm… I think it’s at the house. There was no room. Better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a deep breath. “Mostly now I smell...” H checked the name of the lotion, “sakura blossoms and vanilla. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Valerie hopped up on the stone slab and rubbed some of the lotion on her hands and forearms. When she looked up, and realised the others had started recording themselves asking questions. This time more seriously. Well, this time with a little less giggling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you there?” Paulina asked. They paused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s your name?” Star asked. Another pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there something you want us to know?” Tucker asked. As soon as he finished speaking, there was a noise behind them. Like fabric dragging across stone. They all whipped around, and stared at the darkened doorway that led to the tower. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one spoke. All was silent. And something about it made Valerie uneasy. She moved toward Danny and stood with her back to the wall beside him. Danny was also looking uneasily toward the noise.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally Paulina said, “Guys, I closed that door.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you?” Star tilted her head. “I thought it was open already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I think I closed it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked at Danny, eyebrows raised. He shrugged. “I had been preoccupied with the smell,” Danny whispered. Paulina led the way this time, and crept through the arched doorway, up just a couple steps, and into the bell tower behind the mausoleum. Valerie looked around. Nothing here. It was as she remembered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When looking straight up, she could see all the way to the roof of the bell tower. There was nothing in here from what she could see that would make that sound they heard. Valerie trotted up the first set of stairs, passed an empty alcove where a statue used to reside, and stopped on a level platform on the western wall. She looked down at the ground level, and saw everyone else dear the door. She looked up and saw another platform like the one she was on. It was one more set of stairs that led up from there to the platform from which one could ring the old bell and look  out the four arches in every direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moonlight was spilling into the tower from the one window on that second platform as well as the open arches further overhead. Valerie watched the window a moment, staring at the moon. Finally someone below called her name and she looked down to answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In that moment, a shadow passed over her. Her gaze snapped back to the window. Suddenly Danny was beside her, staring at it also. “What was that?” he hissed. So he’d seen it too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you two,” Valerie looked down again, and Paulina was aiming her phone at them. “Smile!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny and Valerie exchanged a glance. No one else had noticed it. They both smiled and Valerie leaned on Danny’s shoulder. This led to a series of photos being taken in the tower. Each of them taking pictures sitting on the edge of the platforms. Up by the bell looking down. A few where they stood in the empty alcoves beside each set of stairs and each landing and pretended to be the missing statues.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were soon giggling again, shadows and noises all forgotten in their drunken glee. The last picture taken was a picture of the three girls posing on the second platform, in and around the window frame. Paulina wobbled, and stumbled a bit climbing off the window sill, and bumped into Star. Star lost her footing and slipped down a couple stairs, landing hard on her ass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other two burst into laughter, and Tucker and Danny joined in. Danny stood up, catching his breath. “Okay. Okay. Probably enough on the stairs. Let’s go back outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They started to file out into the main part of the mausoleum, when Valerie spotted Paulina slipping into the first alcove they’d passed. She caught Valeire’s eye, and pressed a finger to her lips. Valerie nodded with a smile. She instead followed Star and the guys toward the door, and fell back to watch. Near the door, Danny paused, and looked to the wall, confused. Valerie ran forward and shushed him before he could warn the other two. They kept walking, and just inside the door, Paulina jumped from behind a pillar next to the door frame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star screamed and fell back on her ass again. Tucker yelped and jumped back. Danny also jumped a bit beside Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How the fuck!?” Tucker yelled. Valerie and Paulna were doubled over, wheezing in laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was supporting Valerie, and just as confused apparently, asked, “What the hell just happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There.. There’s…” Paulina wheezed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a gap between the wall and the back of the caskets,” Valerie said. “It connects to an alcove back there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goddamn.” Tucker pressed a hand to his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-guys’re mean!” Star whined from the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry!” Valerie said. She moved forward to help Star.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Let’s do the ouija!” Paulina bounded past where Valerie was pulling Star to her feet, and waited impatiently for Tucker to reach her. She grabbed him by the hand, and they led the way back out into the graveyard. They left the lights on behind them. They retrieved the box and a blanket from where they’d left them beside the gate and found a spot adjacent to the mausoleum. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker unfurled the blanket, and Paulina placed her ouija board on top. They all sat down, giggling and bumping into each other. “Okay,” Paulina whispered, too loudly. She pressed a hand to her chest and burped. “‘Scuse me. Okay. Here’s the rules.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We knoooow th’rules.” Star slurred. She leaned on Danny’s shoulder, and hadn’t seemed to notice her lipstick had smudged. She waves a hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up, I still got- havto explain.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Star, let tha-woman speak,” Tucker said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina turned with a crooked smile on her face. “Dis you juss call me your woman?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-nah-well uh,” Tucker smiled back, leaning toward her. “Yyyou wanna be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina shrugged her shoulder. Valerie figured it was meant to look coy and a little mischievous, but it looked more like Paulina started to fall asleep for a moment instead. Valerie started to giggle a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star was leaning heavily onto Danny, and groaned. “Less just talk to some dead people already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, god, everyone put your fingers on the thing.” Paulina placed the triangular planchette on the board and everyone leaned in. Danny started to reach in and Valerie grabbed his hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leaned into him a little more than she meant to and whispered, “You and me shouldn’t do it. We’re connected to magic and the thing with Vampires so it could ac-actually be bad ifwedo,” her words slurred just a little at the end, and she suppressed a hiccup behind her other hand. She continued to hold to Danny’s wrist without much thought as the others carried on. They hadn’t seemed to notice they weren’t participating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina’s face grew serious. Serious as it could reasonably go when her eyes were glazed over and she was starting to lean more and more toward the board. Valerie giggled again. Their drunken swaying had the planchette gliding across the board already. “Is anyone here?” Paulina asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star gasped as the planchette continued to slide. “It’s on no!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Tucker said. “How can it be a no, cause if noone was there they couldn’t say no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Paulina whispered dramatically, “It’s a liar! I bet it's my Tio Oscar. Abuela says all he ever did was lie.” She pointed across the graveyard. “He’s buried over there somewhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, hey, Oscar.” Star said with a giggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie’s giggles turned to laughter. Danny nudged her. “What?” he asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oscar-Meyer,” she wheezed, and doubled over as his expression of confusion added to the absurd punchline she had already forgotten the joke for. She covered her mouth and felt Danny pat her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” She sat bold upright and looked at him very seriously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.” Then she bit her lip, and was overcome by giggles again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina asked Oscar, “Is it true you and that lady Camille met on the beach in Paris, or did you guys meet at a McDonalds like Abuela said?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think Paris has beaches.” Danny said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not-uh. Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s like a hundred miles inland,” Tucker laughed. When she pouted at him, he added, “but it sounds like it would have been romantic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina was back to smiles, and was looking at Tucker when Star gasped. “It’s moving! He’s trying to say somethin’ look! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tucker spelled it out as it appeared. “D-P-F-T-W.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wassat mean?” Star looked confused. “Oscar, wasiit mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did they even ask if it was Oscar?” Danny asked Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star gasped, looking at him. “You think isssomeone else?” she gaped, then her eyes widened and she leaned across Danny to look more fully at Valerie. “You think it’s your mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly the comfortable fuzzyness of the world was gone, and it all came into painfully sharp focus for Valerie. “No,” she snapped. “It’s not my mom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Star said, clearly offended. “It’s not like we know a lot of dead people personally.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re sitting in my family graveyard, Star. Oscar died like a year ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you weren’t like, close, right? Why would he talk to us through a spirit board?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My mom died in a hospital in Amity Proper, lived across town from here, and is buried in Elm near her parents' graves. Why would </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> be talking to you through a spirit board here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Star tossed her hands up, and said, “I dunno! Thass why I was asking if it was her!” She crossed her arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina leaned on Tucker, wrapping one of her arms around his. Valerie also crossed her arms. After a moment of silence, Danny said, “Maybe we should call it tonight. Val, Tuck, am I taking you home?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Paulina grabbed Tucker’s arm with a smile up at him. “He can get a ride later.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks anyway Danny,” Tucker said, smiling back at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, Val?” Valerie stood up, still with arms folded, and started to walk back toward the house. Then she gasped, and looked down. She pulled her mirror from her pocket again, and used it to look over her shoulder and confirm what she’d feared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Pauling asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay. Just tripped. Come on,” Danny stood, and Valerie raised her left hand, using it to beckon the rest of them behind her. None but Danny could see her tattoo shimmering. Then she took a step and “tripped” again. “Oh! Ow,” She whined. She sat on the grass massaging her ankle. She looked up toward Danny, hoping he would get the hint.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cleared his throat behind her and said, “Val! You okay? Hey, Tuck, do me a favor and help Star and Paulina get back to the house. I’m going to help Valerie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll stay too,” Star said stubbornly. She grabbed onto Danny’s arm, and he stiffened suddenly. He started to whip toward the bell tower, but stopped himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, no, it’s okay, Star. I got her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I wanna-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just go, Star! Jesus,” Valerie said harshly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone grew quiet for a moment. Then without a word, Star pulled off her heels and started stomping off barefoot down the hill. Paulina started to follow, then looked back at Valerie, worried. Valerie avoided her gaze, and as Danny crouched down next to her, she heard him say, “I’ve got her. You guys go ahead.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked up in time to see Paulina and Tucker also vanish from sight down the hill, then stood with the offered hand from Danny, and dusted herself off. Danny was already looking up toward the bell tower. She followed his gaze, and there, seemingly glowing in the moonlight, was the giant. Even so far above them, he seemed huge. His mohawk swayed in the wind as he leveled a crossbow at them, aimed straight for Valerie. She dove out of the way  behind a headstone just in time as the long arrow whizzed past her head. She rolled, and stumbled a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You okay!?” Danny shouted. He’d jumped the other way, and was now crouched behind a smaller headstone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… maaaaaybe I shouldn’t have drank so much.” Valerie said as she slid down the smooth stone. She sat on the ground, head spinning, stomach churning, tattoo humming, and peering around the headstone, she saw the giant grinning as he aimed for her again. His fangs were long and prominent as he opened his mouth and laughed. The sound rang out across the still graveyard. Danny looked to Valerie, then back to the giant, and swallowed. Valerie was sure he had the same thought she did: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They maaay be screwed.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Fight in the Graveyard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Beta continues to be the very very lovely thejordanandhervices</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>screwed! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny ripped the costume ears off his head and swiped at the already mostly gone make up with his sleeve. He looked over at Valerie, where she sat, clutching her stomach. He tried to peer around the edge of the stone, but withdrew immediately as an arrow whizzed by him. He had to guess by the trajectory that Skulker was on the roof still, but Danny could hear he was moving. Pacing, by the sound, back and forth across the tiles. Like a lion stalking prey.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny looked across at Valerie again. She looked over at him, and started to stand, but lost her footing and fell back against the stone. They needed to leave. Danny had to get them out of there. Just down the hill from here, to the north, if they bypassed the house they could reach where Danny had parked. He had his keys. If Skulker followed, Danny could draw him away from his friends back at the house, and hopefully make it to his apartment, where Dora could back them up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a long shot, but it was the best he had on the fly. But what if Skulker didn’t follow? What if he was faster than they, and he caught them? Danny looked over at Valerie again. What if he couldn’t protect her, Danny thought desperately. Then he shook his head. Now was not the time for panic. Now he had to think. He had to fight. He started to lean around the headstone, preparing to dash toward Valerie, and another arrow almost immediately had him scrambling backward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have more than enough arrows to outlast your hiding spot,” Skulker called out. “But I’m getting bored. I was hoping for moving targets.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie was rubbing at her temple with the heel of her hand. Her teeth were gritted against the harsh sound of Skulker’s voice. She was still seated on the ground. Danny could kick himself. How could he be so stupid!? Of course Skulker would attack now. He had already declared himself a hunter and they, his prey. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After their last encounter, and given that Skulker and Nikolai may know they were looking into Thomas’s murder, of course he was just waiting for every advantage before attacking again. Full moon, Halloween, Danny should have seen it coming as soon as Valerie brought it up before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny looked at Valerie again, and wanted to kick himself even more. He should have grabbed her and pulled her the same direction. Now they were separated, Valerie was tipsy, and Skulker’s vantage point allowed him a clear shot no matter which direction they tried to run. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly Skulker’s heavy boots began descending the sloped roof of the Mausoleum toward them. Danny’s heart started pounding like a drum in his chest. Danny had to move, but he couldn't avoid getting hit as long as he was in Skulker’s line of sight. Then he looked at Valerie again, and down at her tattoo. He looked at the gravestone he was hiding behind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emil Sanchez. 1808-1898. “Sorry, Emil,” Danny whispered. “Val!” He called as he gripped the stone, and started to lift the heavy granite. She looked over at him. “Remember when we met Danielle!?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie’s eyes widened, just as Danny managed to pull the headstone from the earth, fighting roots that held it down. An arrow glanced off the stone, and he gasped when he felt it whoosh by his head. She pushed off her stone, just as Danny started to throw it. It went further than any human could launch such a thing for sure, but it was going to fall short of Skulker. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Skulker laughed, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>That</span>
  </em>
  <span> was the best you could come up with?” He began to raise his bow to aim for Danny again when Valerie stepped out from behind her hiding place and aimed her spell at the falling headstone. As with the engine when they’d fought Danielle, the granite exploded. Debris and dust all rocketed toward Skulker, cutting short his gloating laughter and forcing him to dive for cover as the mausoleum took a hit like a giant shotgun blast.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny sprinted for Valerie, scooped her up, and kept running. He rounded the front of the mausoleum, and was cut off by yet another arrow. This time he was too slow in dodging. He managed to turn enough to keep Valerie out of harm's way, but the arrow ripped through his sleeve and just barely raked across his skin. Another arrow came from the dust cloud, then another. Danny jumped and dodged each one, but realized Skulker was either shooting blind or was following the sound of his footsteps. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An arrow came flying right at Danny’s face, and suddenly, it stopped midair, inches from his nose. He looked down and saw Valerie’s teeth were gritted, she looked determined, but also still a bit green around the gills. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny tried again to run for the hill, and heard Skulker move again, roof tiles crunching beneath his heavy footsteps as he stomped toward them. They wouldn’t make it to the tree line, much less all the way to the car. Danny set Valerie down on her feet beside him, then turned and kicked at a headstone as hard as he could in the direction the arrows were coming from. It broke into pieces on impact and chunks went flying through the air. There was a satisfying series of thuds, and grunt of pain, followed by a heartstopping roar of rage from Skulker. Danny caught Val up again, turned and changed direction and ran into the open door of the mausoleum. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why in here?” Val whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Get him to follow us far enough in, then doubleback and gain some distance before he can get us again,” he made the answer up on the spot, and was sure it wouldn’t work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Val squirmed, and accidentally jabbed his cut arm. He hissed in pain and let her go. She grabbed his hand, and as Danny heard Skulker’s boots hit the ground outside, she pulled him into the same crevice between the door and wall that Paulina had jumped out of earlier. Danny just barely fit in the narrow space, and beside him, Valerie went silent. He mimicked her, but was legitimately afraid the hammering of his heart against his ribcage may give them away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He squeezed his eyes shut, as he heard Skulker coming closer. Valerie grabbed his hand as they heard Skulker enter the room. Danny felt Valerie grow still beside him, and looked at her. It was like the time in the science building. He could scarcely pick up her heartbeat and he was standing right next to her. He looked down at her, and saw she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost </span>
  </em>
  <span>looking sober, and with the hand not holding his, she had one hand on her knife. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stood there in the part of the hidden passage while Skulker moved on the other side of the wall. “Come out,” he called quietly. “I can smell you’re here.” Skulker’s voice was drawing nearer, then further away. Danny imagined he was circling the platform in the middle of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny swallowed. He didn’t doubt Skulker could smell them. He wondered if Skulker was dealing with the same overpowering smell from all the entombed bodies as he had earlier. Suddenly, there was a tug on his hand. He looked down, and saw Valerie was edging slowly down the narrow space, further into the wall of the mausoleum. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the other side of the wall, Skulker called out again, “I can smell you’ve been hit by my poison arrow.” Danny gripped the shallow scrape on his shoulder. “Even if I only grazed you. Even if you are stronger than my average prey, you’ll be immobile soon enough, and then all I’ll have to do is track you down.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny was afraid this was true. He was already feeling odd, though he’d thought that it was fear. He remembered Danielle, hardly able to move and feverish all night. If he got to that point there was no way he was making it out tonight. They had to get out before then. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He bowed his head as Valerie led him through a narrower part of the passage. If he remembered right, Valerie had said this little tunnel would let out in the tower. It may work, if that was Valerie’s plan. Get to the tower, climb or jump to the window on the second level </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>that overlooks the roof of the mausoleum. From there, they may have enough of a lead on Skulker that they could make it to the car before he caught them. He thought about calling Dora, and asking her to meet them halfway, but decided he couldn’t risk making extra noise until Skulker was further away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They came to a turn in the tunnel here Danny assumed it joined up with the tower. Indeed, just a few more feet ahead Danny could see moonlight and the stairs rising up passed their exit. Valerie quietly hoisted herself up, stumbling a little bit, and Danny followed, listening careful for Skulker. They started to move up the steps, when behind them in the mausoleum, to Danny’s horror, he heard Skulker stop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then Skulker changed direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny grabbed Valerie up into his arms again, and sprinted for the second floor and the window. He was almost there, just a few feet away, when below them, the door splintered and was forced inward so hard it slammed the opposite wall. Danny glanced down at the noise just in time to see Skulker throw something at him. Danny dodged, jumping passed the platform with the window and landing insead on the staircase that led to the top of the tower. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked back to where he’d been standing on the first staircase, and realized Skulker had thrown his knife at them. It had embedded in the wall right where Valerie’s head had been. In his arms, Danny could hear Valerie chanting under her breath, and by time he registered what she was doing, she raised her hand toward Skulker. His arms snapped to his sides, and Skulker roared in rage, fighting against the force holding him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie shouted to Danny, her arm already shaking with the effort to keep a hold on Skulker. “I can’t keep holding him! Go!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny looked up toward the bell at the top of the tower. He’d have to jump from the top where the Mary statue faced east over the top of the mausoleum. He dashed up the steps. Danny heard a sound like a whistle, and jerked back in time for another arrow to fly by. He pulled Valerie close to him, and felt the barbs on the arrow scrape his upper arm as it passed by. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, Danny.” Valerie panted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As if such a weak spell could ever hold me,” Skulker laughed. “Already slowing down with my poison, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny definitely felt the effects this time. He was feeling weak, his head starting to feel a bit fuzzy around the edges. He set Valerie on her feet next to him. He was thinking hard. What do they do?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Skulker’s smile became a snarl and he took aim at them again. Before Danny could react, beside him, Valerie aimed her own spell, and Skulker’s compound bow went to pieces in his grip. The shrapnel flew back in his surprised face, and Valerie started to run as Skulker screamed in pain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny started to follow her. Below Skulker bellowed, “PESTILENT WOMAN!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie and Danny had not moved two steps before Skulker was upon them. He landed on the top of the staircase they were on, causing it to shudder, and creak under his enormous frame. His teeth were bared, enraged eyes focused on Valerie. He swiped at her, and she wasn’t fast enough to dodge. She was sent flying, and slammed hard against the opposite wall. She fell to the first set of steps from the floor, gasping, and clutching her side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny reached for skulker, trying to stop him from jumping after her again, but Skulker grabbed up Danny by the front of his sweater and threw him down to the bottom of the flight they were on. Danny stumbled, and managed to catch himself on the ledge of the window. By time he righted himself, though, Skulker was already mid-air, jumping at Valerie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“VAL!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In panic, Danny looked around, and spotted a statue--one of the last--in the alcove on the staircase that led to the top of the tower. He grabbed it, and heaved the bronze figure out of its place, and threw it at Skulker’s back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In this time, Valerie had pushed herself up to her feet, and drew her gun. Danny watched Skulker’s eyes widen as Valerie pulled the trigger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>BANG!!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Blue flames burst forth from Skulker’s shoulder nearly the same moment the statue hit his back and he fell. At the same time, the recoil from the shot had Valerie clutching her side again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She grimaced, as she quickly climbed back up to where Danny was. “I Missed. Danny, MOVE!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny realized too late, that he’d idled a moment too long. Skulker landed on the platform, and again it shuddered under him, causing Danny to stumble. A moment later, Skulker had him by the throat, and was holding him over the edge. Danny heard Valerie curse behind him. He must be in the way of a clear shot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny tried to push Skulker off, and realized, to his horror, that the poison was taking effect more fully. He felt weak, and could do little more than keep Skulker’s large hand from crushing his throat. He kicked at skulker, and it did little but make him angry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danny shield your eyes!” Danny squeezed his eyes shut and Valerie shouted, “Blindigaj lumoj!” there was a bright flash, Skulker’s grip lessened as he let out a pained cry. This time Danny successfully kicked off him toward the wall, and fell to the platform, which shook again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny looked around Skulker to Valerie, who was standing behind him, holding her compact mirror in one hand. The light was fading from the mirror, and she dropped to one knee. Danny looked up and saw Skulker’s knife, still sticking out of the wall a few steps below the window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Skulker was still hunched over, hands pressed to his eyes. Valerie started to stand, gun in hand again, and Skulker suddenly pivoted toward her and swung at her with his claws again. She fell back several steps, and Danny jumped to his feet and reached for the knife. Skulker grabbed him by the shirt front, wrenched the knife from the concrete instead, and slashed at Danny. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny brought up his arms in time to protect his stomach, and as a consequence, both forearms were slashed open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danny!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie used her explosive spell again on the mirror in her hand, and this time shards of the mirror shot out toward Skulker. He reared back in pain again as blue flames burst forth from each shard that hit him. Danny realized vaguely that the mirror must have been doused in holy water. Danny was dropped along with the knife. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He weakly reached for the knife, but crashed into the ground at floor level, and he gasped out a cry of pain. Already winded, he wasn’t ready for the fist that then slammed into his sternum. There was a crack, and Danny tasted blood. The knife flew from his hand, and Skulker caught it midair, then brought it back down into Danny’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny screamed as blood soaked his shoulder. He reached for it, his mind was growing hazy with pain, poison, and blood loss, but he knew he needed it out. He needed to get the knife out, but Skulker stomped on his other hand. Danny’s breath was coming in shallow painful gasps. He looked up and saw Skulker laugh as he ground his heel into Danny’s shoulder near the blade. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked over Skulker’s shoulder as the world began to dissolve around him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie had run up to the landing before the bell, yelling down to him. He suddenly realized he couldn’t hear her. Then gradually he also lost sight of her as everything went black.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>
  
</p>
<p>These sketches were made a little while before I got to the Halloween chapters, and decided but their costumes would be. LOL</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Til Sunrise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny is out of commission. Valerie is on her own against the giant Vampire.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Danny! Danny, No!” Danny’s red eyes faded to a dull green, then closed, and his head lulled to one side. The giant leaned low over Danny, and opened his mouth. Valerie couldn’t see from her angle, but she was sure his long fangs were just centimeters from Danny’s pale throat. Danny was poisoned. The giant wouldn’t drink from him no matter how curious he may be. He intended to bite out Danny’s throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie aimed her gun again, and the giant froze when she took aim. “Move away from him,” Valerie said. “Don’t touch him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant stood up, and looked up at her over his shoulder. Valerie had a clear view of Danny, and could see the blood on his lips and chin, and pooling under his cheek. He definitely hit his head in the fall. Would he be okay? Valerie was unsure how dissimilar his anatomy had become to a regular human. Surely he was more durable, but to what degree?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant regarded Valerie for a moment before he started to kneel over Danny again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>BANG!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again the giant was still. Valerie had let off a shot that went right by his head. He chuckled. “You  missed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was a warning shot. I’m feeling much more sober now, thanks to you. You move toward him again, and I’ll kill you right here.” Valerie started to move carefully down the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I came here to kill the both of you. Why wait?” The giant stood up straight, pulling his knife from Danny’s shoulder as he did. Danny groaned, but barely moved. Not a great sign. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie’s eyes flitted to Danny, then to the knife held loosely in the pure Vampire’s hand. “Because I want answers.” She stopped where she was, and used one hand to brace her grip on her gun. The recoil on this thing was no joke normally. She was really struggling with probably bruised ribs and an aching shoulder. “Why did you kill Thomas? Or Poindexter? What did they know that you’re trying to hide?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant was quiet for a while before he answered with a smirk, “Who? Which ones are you referring to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The humans you and your friend have killed in Amity Park recently.” Valerie gritted her teeth, “The reason you’re after us now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant shrugged. “I’m just following a request from an old acquaintance. Whatever you humans and half breeds do to catch his attention is none of my concern.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you just kill whoever you’re told to without even asking why? You’re fine being someone else’s errand boy? What if whatever they're after will screw you over later?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine as long as I get to hunt. I already had interest in the white haired mutt. When I realized I would get to take out a hunter as well, I was all the more excited by the prospect. You have no idea how much patience it took to restrain myself until I held the advantage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Every advantage wasted when you still ended up at gunpoint. You’re not a hunter, at best you’re barely a mercenary running around killing people, deluding yourself into thinking you’re some clever sportsman.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant smiled. “Harsh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Move away from Danny. Don’t come after us. Let us leave here. You leave Amity park. We can all walk away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant started tossing his knife in the air and catching it. Tossing it and catching it. He was doing this right over Danny. If he missed or let the knife drop…”I think you know that’s not happening.” He said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He suddenly turned, and launched his knife at her. Almost instinctively, Valerie stopped it midair by spell. In the second it took her to do this, the giant charged up toward her. Valerie launched the knife back at him, and he knocked it away. Valerie heard it clatter on the ground somewhere near Danny. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie dodged a right hook, ducked under a left, and jumped back up the steps to avoid an uppercut from his massive fist. He followed, and once again they were on the platform with the window. Valerie glanced out, and saw the sky was starting to lighten. The platform shook violently again and finally broke away from the wall. His smile was almost gleaming in the semi-dark, and even as they started to fall, he reached for Valerie. Valerie grabbed her belt, and whipped it off. She used it to lash the giant’s hand away, and then swung upward to catch a step above her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie watched the giant fall, land on his feet, and jump back up toward her. She aimed her gun again, and fired. The giant laughed as he just managed to dodge midair. It came at the expense of being able to reach her, however, and she pulled herself up onto the last staircase up to the bell tower. She sprinted up, belt in one hand, gun in the other. Just as she almost reached the top, she caught a flash of silver in the corner of her eye, and turned to try and dodge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning away, the knife caught her back and sliced her skin nearly from hip to shoulder blade. She stumbled forward, toward the wall, and kept running up to the bell tower. It was just a few steps further away. She grabbed the giant’s knife from the wall in the same hand as her belt as she ran, trying to ignore the blood upon it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was massively slowed by her wound, and by time she reached the top the giant had jumped up to her level. She stopped up short. Nowhere to go but down. And by the rage in his scratched and bleeding face, he would make sure she got down there by the quickest means possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then suddenly, the giant let out a cry of pain and blue flames burst forth from his side. Valerie recognized her knife sticking out of his flank. She looked down, and saw Danny a couple flights down, by the smoke rising from his hand, she could tell he’d thrown the knife and burned himself in the process. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie wouldn’t waste the chance he gave her. “Run!” She yelled to Danny. “Run! It’s almost sunrise!” Danny nodded, and jumped back down to ground level. He stumbled, grabbing his shoulder and ran out of the building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie pushed past the giant, used a spell to help plant his knife in the concrete outside the bell tower and used it as a climbing hold. She braced against the side of the building, and prepared to jump to the roof. Already she could see the first rays of sunlight hitting the old red clay tiles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she could jump, the giant leaned out of the same arch, reaching for her. Valerie pointed her gun at him. The giant grabbed her wrist as she aimed for his heart. He snarled in her face, fangs bared, and painfully pulled her arm upward. Her grip on the embedded knife was starting to fail as he tried to pull her back inside, away from the light. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced toward the horizon, then let go of the knife. She whipped the belt around his neck and braced on the building such that he was the only thing keeping her from falling to the roof of the mausoleum. He laughed. “You mean to strangle me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only smiled, and pushed as hard as she could off the side of the tower. The giant, surprised, fell forward with her. He tried to grab the virgin Mary statue, but it wasn’t secured and fell with them instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he started to laugh again, maniacally, uncontrollably. Maybe he thought she was trying to drop him to his death. Of course she knew he would survive this fall. She certainly wouldn’t if she failed to cushion her landing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the dawn broke, and they were bathed in warm sunlight. His laughing turned to a scream as he started to burn, and she took aim one more time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>BANG! BANG! BANG!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All three shots hit center mass. The look on his face was shock, and rage. Then it all faded as he turned to ash and drifted away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was all over in a matter of seconds. Valerie reached out, and again used the belt to catch onto a metal drain on the side of the building. It caught her a moment, then snapped under her weight, and she fell the last ten feet to the roof of the main part of the mausoleum. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was winded, and her back stung terribly. Still panting, she whispered a healing spell, and rolled on her side to get the open wound away from the jagged tiles. Her healing spell was working, she knew, but it didn’t make it hurt any less right now. “Val!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie opened her eyes and rolled over to her other side. She pulled herself to the edge of the roof, carefully climbed down as far as she could, then dropped the last few feet to the ground. She closed her eyes. “Val!” Danny called again. She groaned and rolled onto her stomach to look up at him. Danny was limping toward her. He got close, his eyes red, fangs out, and stopped a short distance from her. “Skulker?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed-- the sound more akin to a wheeze. “I forgot you gave him a nickname. Yeah. He’s dead.” He sighed with relief and slumped to the ground. He fell on his side, panting. He was sweating just as Danielle had, and seemed finally overcome by the poison. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It didn’t get Danielle this bad… why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re more injured. And you probably... got a higher dose. He knew he was going to fight you tonight. Probably hoped to immobilize with the arrows then kill us while we were paralyzed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny grimaced. Valerie pushed painstakingly to her feet and walked over to him. “Don’t,” he warned, even with his eyes closed. “D-don’t. I don’t think my craving has ever been…” he swallowed. “This intense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. You can't move and even if you do, I can take you right now.” She grabbed him under his arms and pulled him over toward  the base of the bell tower. It was an area a little more hidden in case anyone came to investigate the gunshots. They wouldn’t be seen unless someone cared to look between these to specific rose bushes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow…” Danny said as she tugged on his wounded shoulder. She leaned him up in a sitting position against the tower. Valerie placed her hand on his stomach and repeated her healing spell once again. He watched her, hands limp in his lap. “You’ve done so many spells today. How long can you keep going like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled. “This...this is pretty much all I got. I’m not a practiced caster or anything. Really all I know are the basics. That’s why I use weapons. From what I know, most casters...” She was panting again, “use magic to fight exclusively. They’re rare though, true casters…” She finished her spell, and sat beside him, leaning on his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barely awake, she watched the rest of the sunrise with Danny as her aching body was finally allowed to relax. They were bathed in warm light, which was more than welcome in the chilly morning. He reached over and grabbed her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You... gonna be okay?” He whispered tiredly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I just… I’m exhausted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She snuggled against his shoulder. She was</span>
  <em>
    <span> pretty </span>
  </em>
  <span>sure that by time the poison wore off, her healing would have worked a bit on both of them and Danny would have his craving under control… probably. Just like how she was pretty sure her bleeding would stop soon… </span>
  <em>
    <span>probably</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would worry about it later. Right now he was warm and she focused on that. She returned the pressure on the hand holding hers, and felt Danny lean his head on hers, and heard him sigh. Her eyelids felt heavy. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This section with the fighting has been the most difficult for me to write so far. and my Beta- thejordanandhervices, was so helpful here. Hopefully people like it. Hopefully it lives up to the build up. lol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Recovery and Fast Food</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Skulker is gone, so Danny and Valerie head back to Danny's to recuperate.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Danny woke feeling incredibly sore, and still very tired. He shifted slightly, and realized slowly where he was. They were still in the bushes near the tower and mausoleum. Valerie was asleep next to him. She looked distinctly the worse for wear and he doubted he looked much better. Their clothes were torn and bloody. Danny wanted very much to continue laying there, but then, he heard sirens from far off heading this way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no guarantee that they were coming here, but Danny figured he shouldn’t risk it. He used the side of the building to help pull himself up, and looked around. They’d be better off with any cops that came to look knowing as little as possible about what happened here. It took a while, as he was limping, but he gathered all the arrows he could find, Skulkers knife, and Valerie’s. The bell tower was a wreck. Danny grimaced at the spot where he’d been stabbed. There was a lot of blood there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He touched his head, and though it was still tender, and he could feel the dried blood in his hair, the wound was closed already. Valerie’s healing spell was really something. He returned to Valerie after hiding the arrows high in a tree, and looked her over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By far the worst wound she had was a long slash on her back. Her wounds were also supposed to be further along in healing, but they were still leagues behind Danny’s. He was actually afraid to move her lest the one on her back open again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He paused and listened for the sirens. Maybe ten minutes off. Danny tapped the wall with his fingers, thinking. He pulled out his cell, and saw the screen was cracked. He sighed. He couldn’t get it to turn on. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Danny knelt before Valerie, and stripped his sweater. It was covered in dirt so he stripped his undershirt too which was relatively cleaner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Carefully, he removed Valerie’s costume corset and the sash from her hips. He pressed his undershirt to her wound, then tore the sash into strips he used to secure the shirt. He pulled back on the corset to help hold it all together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then he lifted her carefully into his arms. He took the path that led back to the house, and found tucker pacing outback and looking at his phone. Tucker was also shirtless, and a piece of toast was dangling from his mouth. He looked up, and when he saw them approaching he rushed over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Danny!? What-” He looked down at Valerie, still passed out against Danny’s chest. “What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Skulker--that big Vamp that almost killed me on campus came back to try again. And apparently the holiday plus the full moon made him even stronger.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tucker looked over his shoulder back at the house, then back to Danny. “Where is he now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Gone. Val finished him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She… did? You look like that and she was drunk… fuck, how strong is she? Jesus, you look so fucked up. Your shoulder… what can I do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Calm down, Tuck. More about skill than strength. All I had was the latter and I couldn’t keep up with him for a minute without her help. Val and I need to get out of here. One of the neighbors must have heard the gunshots and called the police.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The maid did. That’s why I got so worried. We thought they were fireworks at first but I guess the gardener showed up near the graveyard about half an hour ago and saw some massive damage to some of the headstones. Said he didn’t look too close but that it was bad.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, those were probably me. Can you sneak in and grab Val’s purse? Take my keys from my back pocket. You can take my car later. I’ll take Val in her car now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… yeah, of course give me a minute. Paulina’s in the shower. She doesn’t know about any of this yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Star?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She left when she realized you two weren’t coming back. I’m sure she thinks you two went off to fuck somewhere in the woods.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny sighed. “Whatever. As long as she leaves me alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tucker managed to chuckle a little and ran inside. He returned just as there was a knock on the front door. Danny took the bag, and took off back through the woods. He hopped a fence at the bottom, careful to jostle Valerie as little as possible. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She woke just as he was buckling her into the passenger seat of the car. She looked dazed, and looked up at him without speaking for a moment. Then she reached up with a tired smile and patted his cheek. “You’re okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. Thanks to you.” Valerie started to sit up straighter, and grimaced. “Don’t move so much. You’re still hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Danny climbed into the driver’s seat, Valerie asked, “What time is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About 3.” Danny filled Valerie in about the call to the police and his brief conversation with Tucker. “I’m taking you back to my place.” They drove down the winding road, and passed a few more officers going the other way. Danny watched them go a little nervously. It would probably just look like vandals hit the graveyard right? Unlikely that anyone would connect it to Danny and Valerie. Hopefully they wouldn’t, but even if they did find any bullet holes among the rubble, Danny was sure Valerie’s gun wasn’t traceable. Was it? But what about the blood?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny was startled from his musings. He glanced at her and bit his lip. “There’s not… We won’t have cops at my door looking for the owner of an unregistered gun right?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. It’s untraceable, and even if it wasn’t, the bullets disintegrate on impact so not likely they’d have anything to trace.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “Our blood though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’d have to bother testing it where they can find it. Mine was mostly on the roof, which will be hard to spot and in the bushes. And if they do find it, they’d have to find a reason to disbelieve my cover story for anything to come of it. I don’t even know if testing  yours will get them any results.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Every time I’ve tested my blood or DNA it’s inconclusive. Which is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My drunk ass fell down some steps and took you with me. Then I fell in a bush. Perfectly plausible. Paulina will back it up. Even if they don’t, what do you think they might suspect we did? There’s nothing a normal couple of college aged students could do to cause that damage in that short a time. If we have to give them something, you-- the sober one at the party-- can explain that you saw a really big guy show up as we were leaving, but that you thought it was Dash Baxtor or something. Police will waste time going to ask him, then you act all creeped out that it was really some mystery guy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Guess it really wasn’t Valerie’s first song and dance. Feeling a little better, Danny continued to drive a while longer in silence. Then he came to a stop sign, and sighed. “I forgot my NASA shirt…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie rolled her eyes, then closed them and chuckled. “Danny, that thing is so ugly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I like it,” Danny said defensively. “My dad gave it to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie hesitated. “Your dad? Is he…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm? Oh! No, My dad is alive. We just aren’t as close anymore. He and my mom are kind of ameture paranormal hunters, and even though my dad can be kind of dense, I was afraid that he would notice something, tell my mom about it, and then next thing they’d be in my apartment with stakes and silver crosses.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie looked at Danny, somewhat startled. “I thought you said you had them convinced it’s anemia.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmm-Hmm, but eventually one of them will notice my speed or my strength or that my eyes turn red and sometimes I have fangs…” Danny shrugged. “On another note, I think we both need something to eat.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny pulled into a line for the drive thru, and tried to ignore the fast food employee who took Valerie’s card staring in wide eyed shock and the workers peeking out at them while they waited for their food. They must really look horrible. He reached over and pulled a couple leaves from Valerie’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks,” she mumbled quietly. She was falling asleep again already.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They got back to Danny’s place, and he did insist on carrying her up to his apartment. Halfway up, Danielle came out of his apartment to greet them. “Danny!? Val?” Danielle was running down to them. “What the hell happened? Dora said she smelt blood out here. Here,” she took Valerie from Danny, and Danny clutched his shoulder as he let her go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as he opened the door to his apartment, he was swept off his feet into Dora’s arms. He let out a surprised yelp. “Dora! I’m fine! </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>can walk! It’s just a couple feet, I can make it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She ignored him and carried him as Danielle and Valerie snickered. Both of the injured were deposited on the sofa. Valerie painstakingly pulled off her thigh high boots with Danielle’s help and put her swollen ankle up on the coffee table. Danielle brought her ice, and Dora looked over both of them--mostly Danny. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie watched Dora fuss over Danny, and Danny was mildly embarrassed by the attention. He was much further along in the healing process. Why was he being treated like the fragile one? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle sat on the coffee table across from them. “What happened?” she asked again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You remember the giant that got you with an arrow?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle nodded. “I never saw him, but I remember his freaking arrows. He attacked you again!? And you made it out? Where is he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Valerie drew her thumb across her throat. She looked at Dora, who had gone still. She had Danny’s face in her hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this true?” She asked him, meeting his eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “He attacked us at the end of the party. We barely made it out. If either of us had gone against him one on one we’d be dead. We almost were anyway. Luckily he attacked us pretty close to dawn, and Val knew the building really well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie closed her eyes. She held out a fist. “You did good too, partner. Came in clutch with that silver knife toss.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny returned her fist bump and groaned. “I’m so tired… and I feel so gross… I need a shower.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shotgun on the shower.” Valerie raised her hand. “Me first. And also can I borrow clothes again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s fine. Danielle, can you help her to the shower? I’m going to go up and use yours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, that’s right, I forgot you have your own space, Danielle. I’ll have to go look when I’m not dying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle helped Valerie to her feet. Danny ran in his room ahead of them and grabbed some clothes hastily as Valerie limped to the shadow. Valerie gave Danny a thumbs up and a smile as she passed him by. Dora walked with him upstairs with aid of an umbrella Danny kept in a closet by the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Halfway up, Danny paused, panting, and sat down on the step. “Danial… This hurts me to watch. If you’d just drink some-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny held up a hand, and hefted himself to his feet. “No. Dora I just won’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dora followed him into Danielle’s apartment, and helped him lift his shirt past his injured shoulder. She touched the area around his wound lightly and seemed genuinely upset by the sight of it. She went back downstairs while he showered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Danny was getting dressed again, slowly and carefully, he realized with a deep groan that he’d forgotten actual pants. He went back downstairs in his boxers and shirt--Dora had taken his ruined clothes already. Dora and Danielle were on the sofa. When he walked in, they stopped talking in such a way that told Danny they’d been whispering about something right before he walked in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ignoring this, Danny crossed to his room, and went in to grab a pair of sweats. He leaned over to dig in the dresser drawers and couldn’t find any at first. Cursing under his breath he looked through more of the drawers, wondering if maybe Sam had taken some of them. Suddenly, Danny heard the sound of rustling fabric, and turned to see Valerie walking out of the bathroom, towel not quite closed yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stopped up short, and gasped. He mimicked her, and simultaneously, they whipped away from one another. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry!” Valerie said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny’s face was burning. “No! I’m sorry. I should have let you know I was out here. I just forgot pants.” Hurriedly, Danny pulled the sweats on, and sped walked out of the room. Danielle looked up at him when he passed her again and went to the kitchen to start brewing some tea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What was that I heard?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why are you blushing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle hopped over the back of the sofa and followed him to the kitchen. Dora also stood. “I’m leaving for now, Danial. Danielle, It was nice to spend time with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dora, you can stay longer. At least until sundown?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. I planned to leave as soon as you came home, and only stayed to satisfy myself that you are going to be alright.” Dora leaned down and kissed Danny’s cheek. Danielle walked Dora out to her car. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While Danielle was gone, Valerie came out of the bedroom, wearing borrowed short-shorts under a long t-shirt of Danny’s. He looked over at her, then blushed and turned away. “Danny.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry again. I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. No it’s alright, really.” Valerie moved close behind him, and he turned to see her holding up gauze and medical tape from his first aid kit in the bathroom. “Help me out?” She asked with a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah, of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turned toward the counter and pulled up her shirt. Danny cringed at the wound there. It ran from just above her hip to right below her shoulder blade. There was also a pretty bad scrape on her thigh. Even on her dark skin, he could see the deep bruising around it. He placed the gauze and gently taped it in place. Valerie still tensed under his hand as he pressed the tape down but otherwise did not react.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He paused. “Valerie…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm?” She turned around and pulled the shirt back down. She gasped when Danny lifted her up onto the counter and started to cover the scrape on her leg also. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Teach me to fight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Valerie sounded incredulous.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d be dead if you hadn’t been there with me. I was just running and going on instinct, same as when we met Danielle. If you’d been sober we probably would have fared way better. Teach me to fight like you do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you have strength I don't, and claws and fangs I don’t, and I have a magic tattoo. We aren’t exactly going in with the same arsenal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny finished taping gauze over her thigh, and looked into her face. She blushed and looked away. “So is all that a no?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Valerie considered him, pouting her lips as she thought about it, then sighed and ruffled his hair. “I... can try. I can at least try to get you fighting with your head instead of instinct. A skilled fighter will use your instincts against you. Run you into traps like the giant almost did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He knew we’d dodge instead of running or attacking back when he first attacked us. If I’d been sober, I would have caught his arrows by spell earlier, and focused on getting away instead of hiding and letting ourselves get pinned down. Though, I say that knowing hindsight is 20/20.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The electric kettle chimed behind them, and Danny poured them each a cup, adding pain meds to Valerie’s upon request. Danny lifted Valerie back off the counter. She blushed again, this time he was sure, and suddenly he became very aware of her smaller body pressed against his as he put her down. Her fingertips trailed down his arm and he realized he was blushing himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He cleared his throat as he set her on her feet, and she started playing with her hair. She smiled, looking down and said, “Thanks.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny smiled at her. “Yeah. No problem, Val.” They went back to the living room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle came back in about a minute after they sat down, and hopped on the sofa next to Danny. She turned on some cartoon and Danny and Valerie watched with her a while. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is this?” Valerie asked after a while.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I dunno. I guess he’s a spy, but he’s bad at it because he tells everyone he’s a spy. But he’s good at it because he kicks ass. And they all hate each other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t long after that Valerie fell asleep, curled in the armchair. Danny covered her in a throw from the sofa and left her to sleep a couple hours before he picked her up and moved her to the bed. Danny returned to the living room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A season of the show later Danny asked Danielle, “You sleeping in your bed tonight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not welcome here, anymore?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed. “Val is in mine, and I don’t want to sleep on the floor when there’s another bed available. Besides, we didn’t spend 600 on a bed for nothing. Why don’t you wanna sleep in your bed?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to sleep on the floor. You could just share with Valerie. Your bed is huge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danny laughed. “Danielle, you know that’s not happening. Seriously? What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Danielle shrugged. Danny sighed. Had Dora said something during their whispered talk? Danny wasn’t brave enough to broach the topic again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sat beside her on the sofa, and they were quiet for a while. Then Danielle spoke up. “When do you go back to school?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh? Tuesday. So in a couple days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When do I start online?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, assuming your transcripts get to the, uh, admission whatever, on time, you’ll start like a week after I do. Dora is bringing you a laptop to use, so don’t worry about that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay? Uh, good… then.” Danny yawned. “One more night on the sofa. Then you have a room, so at least go there at night, please. I’ll leave my door unlocked for you even, so you can come and go. I’m going to change and check on Val.” Danny got up, and crept through his room. He looked to see Valerie was still asleep, laying on her uninjured side. Her curls lay in dark puffy clouds around her shoulders. She really was quite beautiful, even with the busted lip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He supposed he may look even worse still. He was moving slow, and sharp pain kept hitting him when he moved too fast or suddenly. He had to say though, Val’s spell had done the trick. Danny remembered that guy Wulf who’d stared him down over Valerie’s shoulder seemingly all night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That guy had a tattoo on his shoulder similar to Valerie’s. Danny had only caught a glimpse of it when he was dancing with Valerie at one point, but he was sure it had powers like Valerie’s. He wondered what those powers came from. Surely she hadn’t had them her whole life. Danny knew things like that existed—Dora had told him as much—forces and other creatures that existed outside of human influence, but he’d not seen much of it in real life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had an ominous feeling he would be encountering more of it before they got to the bottom of this. Danny sighed very quietly, crept to the bathroom, changed into a t-shirt and basketball shorts, and then crept back out of the room. Danielle was still sporting her Halloween pajamas and had stretched out across the sofa to watch more of her spy cartoon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Danny lay down on the floor, he thought about how odd his life had suddenly become. It wasn’t so ordinary before, but before he was a student primarily. His meetings with Thomas only had been once in a while, and his run-ins with other vampires had been relatively few and far between also. Now he had a second half vampire living with him, a Vampire hunter who frequented his bed--</span>
  <em>
    <span>platonically--</span>
  </em>
  <span> and at least one more Vampire he needed to find and hopefully question about a murder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned on his side also, and had moved the coffee table so he could also watch Danielle’s show a while before bed. It was actually pretty funny. Danielle fell asleep somewhere around the season finale, and Danny pulled the remote from her limp hand. He changed the channel over to a documentary, and learned a bit about the history of the video game Doom before he fell asleep also. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Slowing things down a little. There is going to be a little bit of a shift from here. Hopefully people are here for it. lol. On another note, I really liked Dora's character in the show, and I wish she'd been around more after she befriended Sam, Danny and Tucker.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. French Toast and Bandages</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Valerie finally agrees to teach Danny and Danielle to fight.  </p><p>a special thank you to thejordanandhervices for hanging in as my beta. I love and appreciate you lol.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Valerie rose early. Just as the sun was rising. She watched it through Danny’s window, realizing Danny must have moved her to the bed. She moved slowly, she was still very tender, and moved to the bathroom to look at her injuries. Her back was much better. She’d get Danny or Danielle to help her change her bandages. The injury on her thigh was mostly gone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fight with the giant had done a number on Danny and Valerie both and they had almost no answers to show for it. All they knew that they didn’t before was that the giant had been working for someone else. Did that go for Nicholai as well, or was </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> the old friend? Valerie leaned over the sink and shook her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She also thought about Danny’s request, when he asked her to teach him to fight. It was odd to hear from someone who she’d watched rip up and toss a whole-ass headstone across a graveyard. There was a knock at the door. “Valerie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie turned, and saw Danielle in the doorway. “Morning, Danielle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning. I thought I heard you get up. Can you take me to the store?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure? What for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want orange juice. And Danny is out of milk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah. That’s fine. Here, help me with this bandage, then I’ll get dressed and we can go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle did so, following Valerie’s instructions to change the bandages. Then Valerie pulled another shirt from Danny’s drawer, a button down that she wrapped around herself so it fit like a wrap halter with the sleeves as a bow at the back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They tip toed passed Danny, sleeping on the floor in the living room. His hair was mussed, and his cheeks were just a shade warmer than normal in his sleep. They crept out the door and down to Valerie’s car. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle, can you drive?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like, to school and stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie tossed her keys to Danielle and climbed in the passenger seat. Danielle looked somewhat excited as she skipped the rest of the way to the car and got in the driver’s seat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The store was uneventful mostly, until they were in line to pay. Danielle trailed behind Valerie carrying the handbasket while Valerie tossed in orange juice, powdered sugar, syrup, and a few other things. Danielle grabbed clearance halloween candy and a pumpkin shaped lantern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they headed for checkout, Danielle froze up, and ducked her head. Valerie was slightly amused given how tall she was, until she saw the look on Danielle’s face. “What’s up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brother is over there. My adopted brother I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie glanced over to see a large boy and a skeletal thin girl in line for checkout a few lanes down. They were easy to spot since they were staring—glaring really. The boy was wearing a button down with suspenders holding up his trousers and the girl was wearing a simple shapeless dress. Completely the opposite of Danielle in her tank, artfully torn tee, and her gym shorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle finally glanced over and waved, and they both turned their noses up at her and turned away. Danielle grimaced. “I hope they don’t try to contact me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you dress like that too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle sighed. “Why do you think all I had run away with was one backpack?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They made it through line, and were almost to the car when someone called Danielle’s name behind them. Valerie turned, and Danielle stiffened. They turned. “What did you do to Mom?” The skeletal girl asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was surprised. For some reason she'd half expected the girl to say ‘mother.’ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle ignored her, and popped the trunk to put in the groceries. “So you’re going to ignore us? Who’s this? Another hell-bound friend of yours?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?” Valerie snapped. She turned, hands on hips. “How bout you back the fuck up, an get back to the farm, Hilda.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’d you say to my sister?” The boy stepped forward, very close to Valerie. By his face Valerie guessed he was maybe fifteen, but he was already towering near six feet. Valerie stood her ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then suddenly the boy was stumbling back, and Danielle was standing between them, having just shoved him back with one hand. Other people in the parking lot were starting to stop and stare. Danielle was staring at the boy, lip curling and teeth bared. The boy righted himself and glared back, then his eyes went wide and he took a step back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie laid a hand on Danielle’s shoulder and looked up at her reddening eyes. “Get in the car,” she said quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle never took her red eyes off the boy as she moved to comply with the order, staring him down until she climbed back in the driver’s seat. Valerie waited for the siblings to move back from her car before she moved to the passenger door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mama was right about her,” the boy said. “She’s a demon for sure and Mister Masters made a mistake when he said she’d do great things. I don’t know who you are to her, but you should get the hell away from her before she does to you whatever she did to Mama that made her sign her away. Broke Mama’s heart when she realized what she’d done.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie opened the door, and the boy took a step closer. “We’ll tell everyone the truth, you know. That Danielle is possessed by a demon, and it used some sort of trick to get Mama to give her up before we could save her. Mama knew. I believed her even if no one else did and now I’ve seen for myself it’s true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie tossed her hair with a huff, and got in the car. Danielle turned over the engine. Before Valerie could ask, Danielle said, “I’m fine…” She turned out onto the main road. “I’m fine. Please don’t tell Danny or Dora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie thought about what she’d seen. No direct threats were made. It had been unpleasant, but required no action. Valerie nodded. “Between you and me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle nodded, looking relieved. “Just between you and me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they returned to the apartment, Danny was still asleep on the floor. “Can you move him to the sofa at least?” Valerie asked Danielle. Danielle complied while Valerie started cooking breakfast. Danielle sat to watch her cook. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Valerie had several stacks of french toast on plates with scrambled eggs, and Danielle was pouring orange juice that Danny finally awoke. He sat up slowly, and looked around, running a hand through his hair. He got up and moved over behind Valerie and Danielle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sleepily rested his head upon Valerie’s and closed his eyes. “Smells good,” me mumbled into her curls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The food or me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny didn’t seem to notice her question. “What time is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Almost noon. We spent too much time at the store,” Danielle handed Danny a glass, and he stood up right to drink it. Valerie distributed plates, which they took to the sofa and armchair and they all dug into a late breakfast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny sank in his seat, he looked happy for the warm meal. “Val,” he asked, “Why do I feel so tired? Is it your spell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmmm, no? Or I don’t think so. I’ve never used it on a Vampire, let alone a half Vampire, so I guess I didn’t think about how it would affect you. She put aside her plate and moved closer to him. “Do you hurt anywhere?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. He finished the last bite of food, and then lay down across the sofa with his head on Valerie’s lap. “Just a little achey, like how I used to get when I had a bad cold or something.” Indeed Danny looked exhausted. Maybe now he was mostly healed, his body was coming down from his elevated state of high alert and anxiety and it was finally taking its toll. “I’m just going to sleep a little more,” He mumbled. He closed his eyes. Valerie said nothing, but leaned over to grab her plate and resumed eating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was asleep again by time she finished. Danielle went into Danny’s room, and came back with a comforter. She draped it over Danny, and plopped down in her chair, searching for the episode she’d left off with the night before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie was watching, but mostly she was zoning out, thinking of next moves. Danny would be back in school in two days. Valerie would be back in class day after, but her classes were online. Danielle would be back in class before both of them next day. If they were going to move on Nicholai, ideally, it would be before they were all stuck in class, but given Valerie was still healing, it was unlikely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The giant had been working for someone. Was it Nicholai? Danny shifted in his sleep, interrupting Valerie’s thoughts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned toward the back of the sofa, and hugged the pillow beside him. Valerie looked at his messy white forelocks. He ran her fingers through them, wondering again about the process that caused it. She looked over at Danielle, and wondered the same about her. Was there really a way for them to return to normal?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shook her head. Back on focus. Nicholai. Well, for now there was nothing to be done, really. Maybe they should ask Dora to talk to him with Danny and Valerie present, and see if their issues could perhaps be resolved amicably. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doubted it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nearly an hour later, Danny woke again, but continued to lay in Valerie’s lap, staring at the TV, but clearly not actually watching the show. Valerie looked down when she realized he was awake and gasped. “Hm?” Danny looked up, and Valerie stared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your… You feeling okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah? Tired, still, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your eyes are red.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny sat bolt upright and his eyes went wide. He rushed off to his bedroom, and Danielle and Valerie looked at each other. Danielle was the first to follow him, and Valerie followed a moment later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was staring at himself in the mirror. “Wha- wha- why? What’s going on? I’ve never had… just for no reason…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle hesitated, and looked to Valerie. Valerie slipped past Danielle, and put a hand on Danny’s arm. “Calm down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Easy for you to say. This has never happened for no reason before… in my sleep? Why? Am I… is it getting worse?” Danny started combing his fingers through his hair, looking from every angle, seemingly trying to detect more white hairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay. When does it like… normally happen?” Danielle asked. She sat down on the edge of the tub. For me it’s like, when I’m stressed out. I got into it with my adopted mom and it happened. I fought you guys and it happened. It’s always when I’m super hungry or like, I guess, stressed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same.” Danny said. He turned to Danielle and Valerie. “It’s when I’m under pressure or in danger or… hungry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So when your body is in self preservation mode, in other words,” Valerie said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I’m not right now. I’m not tempted to attack you at all. Skulker is gone. Mid-term grades are in and I aced everything. What could I possibly be reacting to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s probably the spell,” Valerie said. Feeling contrite she explained, “The spell accelerates healing. It can’t grow back amputated limbs for example. I’ve been told those spells exist but I’m not skilled enough for it. When I heal myself sometimes I get really tired because it can put a lot of stress on my body, which is why I try hard not to get injured in the first place. For you, if this happens when you’re stressed…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny groaned. “So, this is my body… just… stressed out from healing so fast?” Danny looked himself in the mirror again. Valerie bit her lip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Best guess. You’re not hungry right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’d know if I was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think Val is right. So maybe it’ll go away on it’s own? When you’re better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what if it doesn’t? What do I do? Blame it on my condition? Do I just become that guy with the red eyes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Contacts?” Danielle offered with a shrug. Valerie grimaced and Danny glared at her over his shoulder, then slumped over the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I may have to look for some at the mall. I can’t go to class like this, and I certainly can’t go meet my parents like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie reached over and ruffled his already messy hair. “Sorry. I didn’t think about it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not your fault. I’d be laid up in bed with a hole in my shoulder without you.” Danny hesitated. “I haven’t asked how you’re doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie raised her arms and looked down at herself. “A few more days taking it easy and I should be good. I’m pretty sure my back will scar, and Wulf may be able to do something about that so my dad doesn’t freak out next time I wear a bikini. If not I may need to fake a car accident or something. Maybe I should have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle looked at Valerie with a look of mild disgust. “That’s pretty dark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shrugged. “I don’t want my dad to worry, or try stopping me...or more likely, get hurt trying to help me.” She looked down at her hand, and turned it over to look again at the tattoo upon it. “I learned to fight so other people wouldn’t have to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny stood up straight and looked down at her a moment. Then he turned back toward the counter. “I don’t really have a choice. The fight comes to me whether I want it or not. That’s why I asked you to teach me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle perked up. “You’re going to teach him? Me too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie groaned, but had to admit, it was probably safer for all of them if the two half Vampires on their team could actually effectively back her up in a fight. Especially times like now when she couldn’t do much on her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine!” Danielle hopped up excitedly, as if she expected to start right away. “This coming weekend. I should be back in health by then, and we can see if Danny’s eyes return to normal by then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why does that matter?” Danny asked defensively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The training I did is pretty rigorous to be honest. I’ll have to be even harder on you two because of how strong you both are. That’s stressful enough on it’s own. If the eyes and fangs are brought out by stress, I don’t think it’s a good idea to start when you’re already at an elevated level.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny ran a hand through his hair. “Point taken. Alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. So that’s that then. What’s the plan for the rest of today?” Danielle asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie shrugged. “Make sure you’re registered for school.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then nada.” Valerie started to stretch, but winced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny reached for her, seemingly instinctively. “Your bandage okay? You need it changed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably once more. Then after today it should be healed enough I can go without it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded, and pulled out the med kit. Danielle hovered as Danny changed the bandage, looking concerned and a little lost. Before Danny applied the new gauze, he cleaned the cut. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t hurt?” Danielle asked, staring at what surely still looked like a pretty grisly wound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like a bitch and a half. Every time I move wrong it stretches and kind of opens again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should you lie down?” Danielle seemed alarmed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie leaned on the counter so Danny could lift the shirt she was wearing a little higher. “Mmmm… probably. But this much is really nothing.” She smiled at Danielle. “Don’t worry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s really not supposed to worry me that you’ve felt worse than your back getting slashed open by what I now suspect was a serrated knife?” Danny asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhhhhh,” Valerie smiled in response to the skeptical look Danny was giving her in the mirror. “No comment.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh huh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny finished up, and once again he lifted her onto the counter top before him to treat her thigh as well. Valerie had been ready for it this time, but it was still a bit embarrassing to be lifted so easily by him. He really was incredibly strong, even when he was feeling sore.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle grimaced when the gauze was removed. “Ew, it’s like someone took a fork and took chunks out of clay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beautiful description. Very helpful,” Danny said with an eye roll and a wrinkled nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> When Danny finished, they returned to the living room, and Danny insisted Valerie lay down a bit. She did so with a giggle. “You worry too much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you say that but I was the one changing the gauze.” Danny offered her pain medicine from his cabinet and a glass of water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Point taken.” Valerie accepted what he offered and then they all settled onto the sofa. Somewhere in the middle of Danielle browsing for something to watch, Valerie drifted off to sleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>School started back up with little fanfare. Valerie returned to Elm but she and Danny spoke every other day. Danielle was in contact daily. They all made plans to meet on the weekend. Dora was going to meet Nicholai with Danny and Valerie, and Valerie was going to show them some basics for fighting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was early on Saturday morning that Valerie got up and drove across town to the agreed on spot—an area just outside Amity proper. She followed a long road that started to wind like the one that led to Paulina’s home, and parked near a gas station long abandoned. She saw Danny and Danielle parked in Danny’s car, sipping from styrofoam cups. She tapped on the window, and they got out to stand with Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was feeling rested, dressed in a sports bra and leggings. Danielle was dressed similarly, but in shorts, and Danny was looking nervous in basketball shorts, a tank, and a hoodie. “You guys should stretch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you guys asked for this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did.” Danny agreed. He looked around. “What is this place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Convenient. This place has been closed since forever, so no one comes here. It’s even too far out in the boonies for the addicts or the homeless to bother coming.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny suddenly looked up toward the road.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Engine. I thought they were passing, but it’s getting closer. I think it’s a motorcycle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A big one,” Danielle added. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The motorcycle came into view a moment after it became audible to Valerie. “Oh, I forgot to mention,” Valerie said as the motorcycle pulled in and parked beside Danny’s car.  Wulf dismounted and removed his helmet with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am Wulf. Nice to meet both of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie looked sideways and saw Wulf’s eyes trained on Danny. He clearly recognized him, so Valerie didn’t bother pointing out they’d met on Halloween. Danny didn’t correct him either. Danielle and Danny both shook hands with Wulf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wulf was my teacher when I was learning,” Valerie explained. “And now he's going to help me teach both of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looked even more nervous, and Wulf smiled. Valerie sighed. It would be fine, she told herself, she was worrying too much.  </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. A Work Out and Pasta Sauce</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wulf assesses Danny and Valerie comes up with a plan to curb his cravings for blood.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As usual thanks to Miss thejordanandhervices  for being my Beta. Love you chikka. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Danny wasn’t sure what to make of this. Valerie was standing before Danny and Danielle, hands on hips, looking mildly annoyed as Wulf hovered close behind her. He was smiling, and looking them both up and down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Valerie started. “My plan is this: We divide this training into parts. First we’re going to put you guys through some tests Wulf has helped me come up with to really learn what we’re working with. Next part will be working on some ways for you to defend against Vampires. Next part will be teaching you to defend against hunters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Danielle nodded. She was starting to look a little nervous too. She was glancing at Wulf and Danny guessed she was feeling the same sense of quiet menace from him. She took a half step back and behind Danny. Valerie seemed to notice, and moved forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danielle, you come this way with me. We’ll spread out a little and run through the tests separately first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle looked relieved. “Okay, yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny watched them go, silently wishing they could stay in one group. He turned back to Wulf and jumped when he realized Wulf was suddenly less than a foot away. Annoyed, Danny took a step back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting,” Wulf remarked, hands on hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Danny said irritably. Wulf’s eyebrows shot up and Danny cursed himself. He took a breath and tried again. “Sorry, you surprised me. What’s interesting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t notice as I was moving closer. Valerie said she noticed you have excellent hearing in particular. How far out can you normally pick up noise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was almost embarrassed by his reaction. Wulf had already begun his assessment, and in the end, Danny himself had asked for this. “Uh, I’m not sure? I tune a lot out, so it has to kind of catch my attention or I have to be looking for it I guess. I’ve never thought about how far out they are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, how about sight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Better than normal I guess,” He looked across the street and up toward the sky. “I can see there’s a hawk flying up there. It’s got a red spot on one wing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wulf looked up and whistled. “I can barely tell it’s a bird. How high can you jump?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ground floor to almost second.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, uh, sure.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It continued like this nearly forty-five minutes. Danny couldn’t tell if Wulf was taking it seriously or not when he did things like make Danny open his mouth to measure his teeth, and lift gradually heavier things around the parking lot, starting with a larger rock, and ending with his own car. Danny was gasping, panting with the effort, and failed to lift it fully off the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny let it drop, silently apologizing to old Shelly as the tires hit the tarmac. He bent at the waist, trying to catch his breath and Wulf asked, “and you never work out? Never have tried to strengthen yourself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No? I try to avoid standing out, or risking it, and honestly, I’m not sure how I would. I think you can tell there’s nothing in a gym that could help me and I wouldn’t know where to start outside one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wulf shrugged. “One benefit from a gym would be learning form. Much of an athlete’s training is learning how not to hurt themselves while performing in top shape. Learning to move efficiently to avoid wasted movement and therefore, avoiding wasted energy. This is something critical when in a confrontation, especially with a Vamp like you. Valerie may not have been </span>
  <em>
    <span>injured</span>
  </em>
  <span> by your giant Vamp opponent if you’d been able to make such movements.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Vamp. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The word fell harshly on Danny’s ear. The resentment, and implied accusation— Valerie was injured because of you— were both clear as day to Danny. He made no comment, but maybe moved a half step back, a little wary of Wulf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny caught a noise and looked up. Valerie and Danielle had moved quite a distance from them in the woods behind the gas station. They were moving back toward them. Wulf followed his gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assume the girls are coming back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One last question before Valerie returns.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Danny asked, not bothering to hide the defensiveness in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Valerie has said you don’t drink Human blood.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny blinked. “Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wuld took that step closer.  “Do you want to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… never have. I never plan to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That isn’t what I asked, Danial.” Danny was thrown by this man using his full name. He took another step back, and Wulf followed, his stare turning icy. “I asked if you </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny hesitated, an act that he was sure Wulf took as admission of guilt. He shook his head, incredulous and hesitant to answer honestly. Danny glanced at the direction girls were approaching from, and took a deep breath. He would go with honesty. No sense lying if Valerie may have told Wulf ahead of time anyway. Maybe he was just testing to see if Danny would tell him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He squared his shoulders. “I crave it…” He said quietly. “Sometimes I do. I avoid hospitals, donation drives, anything that may expose me.” He’d never lost control, but he was afraid to tell Wulf that sometimes he felt like he… slipped. Like instinct took over for just a second at a time. The worst was after Skulker. It was the worst it'd ever, ever been. It went away with Valerie’s healing. Danny also didn’t mention his secret relief Valerie wasn’t injured earlier in the encounter or his shameful gratitude that he’d been poisoned, and unable to strike at Valerie when the craving </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> hit. He remembered the feeling, and the prolonged presence of his reddened eyes and fangs after. They’d taken several days to disappear, and he’d realized though he’d been more fully in control of himself, he’d also been acutely aware of everything around him. Every flutter of a heartbeat near him, every vulnerable moment with a stranger, every movement they made… he’d been in a sort of “hunting mode” for days. It made him afraid to go out, terrified of what would happen if someone cut themselves or something, and he did get hungry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wulf was unreadable. He stared at Danny for a moment, and Danny was suddenly overcome with an overwhelming sense that he needed to move. He leapt backward, across the parking lot from Wulf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wulf looked surprised, and then laughed. “Your instincts are indeed quite sharp, even if you can’t use them consciously.” His lip curled. “Like a dog that lies down before a storm I guess. Instincts drive you to move back, but If I’d really intended harm, the correct move was to attack me first.” He held up his arm. “I know you know this is like Valerie’s. I have long range abilities you don’t. You should have tried to preemptively attack, or de-escalate before one was necessary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry my first instinct isn’t violence,” Danny said, crossing his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would have been truly sorry if I had as short a temper as your instincts were telling you I did. You just put me at the advantage. You should always be watching. Assess your opponent and their state of mind. Don’t make unnecessary moves without information.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny hated that this all made sense. He also hated that Wulf had not dropped any of the hostility that had driven him back before. How could he so casually stand there giving Danny advice when he wanted so clearly to stake him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girls returned, and Valerie and Wulf conferred for a brief comparison of notes. Danielle was sweating and looked equally exhausted, if less stressed, than Danny. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did he have you do?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mostly asked questions and then had me lift a bunch of stuff and try to make my eyes change. You?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Man, I wish it was mostly questions. She had me jumping all over the place. She said I’m fast, but my form is terrible, and my Vampire healing won’t save me from a blown knee. She had me run between targets and speed up til I fell or missed the target and she was making me do a bunch of stuff that I guess, like, helps with that, so I can use my speed in a fight without hurting my.. ACB or whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ACL.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that one too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laughed, and Valerie and Wulf returned. Valerie looked a little put out, and Danny suddenly regretted his decision not to eavesdrop. “So here’s the deal. Danny, you’re strong, but you lack speed—comparatively— and stamina. Danielle, you’re fast, but what you lack most is control. And also stamina.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are going to go with the split training plan,” Wulf chimed in, “but before we get to combat of any sort, I would like you two to work on these things. Danielle, control. You need to be able to use your top speed. In a fight, it sometimes comes down to moves made in fractions of a second. A slip at the wrong time could kill you or someone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danial, stamina. Speed can come later for you, but you won’t get much done anywhere if you burn out after a big move and can’t defend yourself when it fails.” Danny cringed internally at the memory of throwing the headstone. Sure, he’d been poisoned, but he had slowed significantly after that toss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Valerie stepped forward and continued, “Wulf and I agreed on a benchmark you each have to hit before we can move on to combat training.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Danielle said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nodded. “Seems fair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s… one more thing,” Valerie said. She looked irritated, and a little nervous as she made eye contact with Danny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is it?” He asked, heart sinking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your cravings,” Wulf said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s heart sank like a stone, and Danielle blushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t knowingly put myself or Valerie in danger. Injuries are bound to happen in training, and I can’t rely on the hope we can stop you in time. I have told Valerie that you must have your cravings under control by this weekend, or I will not help train you. I won’t help create more efficient killers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle looked like she may cry, and Danny was wondering if she was thinking back to the incident when they’d pulled the arrow from her leg. Danny was feeling both nervous and indignant. “How are we supposed to prove that to you? I don’t know about Danielle, but I don’t have cravings all the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will test it after the weekend. If you fail to resist when confronted with blood, then I will kill you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me!?” Danny snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!?” Danielle took a step back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wulf! I never agreed to that.” Valerie turned to Danny, and focused especially on Danielle. Her hand was out, and she offered it out to Danielle, beckoning her closer. “I would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> agree to that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle swallowed, and nodded. She took a step closer to Danny, and grabbed his arm. He covered her hand with his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“True, Valerie has not. But if you attack me during this test I will make sure you never do that again. You, of course, have the option to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> let me test you. All it means is that I will not train you,” Wulf shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That wasn’t all refusal would mean. Danny was sure of it, and by her expression so was Valerie. Refusal meant admission that they could not be trusted. That they were dangerous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny swallowed. They had no time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went their separate ways not long after. Valerie was rather cold to Wulf. She stopped him from embracing her and as Danielle pointed this out to Danny, he watched her dodge a kiss aimed at her cheek. Valerie stepped back and whispered something at Wulf with a glare. He looked equally angered, and looked over at Danny and Danielle. Danielle looked nervous and stepped behind Danny again. Danny clenched his jaw, hoping he looked more defiant than he felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wulf shrugged, said one more thing to Valerie, got on his bike and roared away. Valerie came up to them as they leaned against Danny’s car. Her arms were crossed and she was looking at the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Danny said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck that guy,” Danielle said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie smiled a little at their opposite and simultaneous reactions. Then her smile faded. “I never would have asked him for advice if I thought he would pull something like this. When he insisted on helping I didn’t think for a second this was why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay,” Danny said again. “I’ve known my craving was something I needed to deal with, but I’ll admit It’s a little terrifying to have a time limit put on it when I’ve spent the better part of nearly ten years failing to find a solution for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle crossed her arms. “What even is his deal. He had no solution so why should we be able to find one that fast? If he’s not gonna help with it then why does he get to set the deadline?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll talk to him about that,” Valerie promised. “I won’t let him hurt either of you. In the meantime I’ll help you try to figure something out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure,” Danny agreed. “Maybe having a fresh eye from the outside of the problem will help.” He smiled at her. Valerie smiled back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You coming back to Amity with us?” Danielle asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Not yet. I have school too, and during the semester I have study groups near me I have to attend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lame. It’s boring without you,” Danielle said as she got in the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie laughed, and turned to Danny. He crossed his arms, thinking. “I’m sorry.” Valerie said again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shrugged. “I know it’s not you.” And he did. Wulf’s change in attitude came after Danny’s confession about his cravings. If anything, though he could see Wulf had a point, he was kicking himself for volunteering such information to a hunter. He’d let Valerie’s more accepting attitude toward himself, Danielle, and even Dora make him forget to be cautious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and pushed off the car. How could he be so careless and put Danielle in such a position? He had to find a way to meet at least this condition, for her sake. He put a hand on the door handle to open it,  and Valerie put a hand on his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here,” She said. “You aren’t doing this alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny said nothing. He nodded, and slipped away from her behind the wheel. She stood there, and watched them pull off onto the road with a wave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle was quiet in the drive back. Just a couple streets over from the apartment, Danielle asked, “Are you mad at Val?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. You?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little. Why did she even bring him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve met him before and there was no problem then. She had no reason to think there would be any issue now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you meet him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was there earlier in the night on Halloween.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, shit, is he the one Val got the hickey from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shrugged, but he was sure that was the case. He’d seen them together on Halloween and saw Valerie rebuff his kiss today. He was at least a little comforted by the thought Valerie had their backs. He had no intention of putting her in a position to have to defend them against Wulf, but it was nice she even thought to offer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle went right up to her room, mumbling that she had homework, and Dannny went on his own, since he did actually have an essay due. He had a hard time focusing on it however, and gave up around dinner time when Danielle came in. She helped herself to a juice box from his fridge and fell on the sofa beside him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t think of anything,” Danielle said. “Not outside just doing what Dora said. And I feel like… I don’t know, weird.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to drink blood. You can if you're okay with it, but honestly I think I’d rather just die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle sat up and whipped around to look at him. “You don’t mean that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, no, I really really do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m… it’s hard to explain. Like I’m human. If I drink human blood, won’t I be… less?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, people get transfusions. It’s not oral, but it’s still taking blood from another person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? They need it to be healthy… so do we, technically.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, I don’t know. Then it’s just not for me, I guess. I don’t know if I could even make myself do it if I wanted to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly that’s the biggest thing for me. I don’t do gross stuff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I promise I won’t think less of you if that’s what you end up doing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle still seemed troubled when she lay sideways across the sofa and started flipping through the menus searching for something to watch. Danny was in the kitchen, cooking pasta for the both of them. Danielle turned off the television after a while and continued to lay on the sofa. Then at the same moment, they both paused. Someone was climbing to steps toward Danny’s apartment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle ran to check the peephole, and opened the door to Valerie before she had a chance to knock. “Heard me coming?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. What’s up? What’s with the bag?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bag? Danny came over to look, and saw Valerie was carrying a small suitcase covered in stickers, and a backpack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Val?” Danny opened the door wider and stood back for her to pass. “Come in. I’m finishing up dinner. You coming back to town a while?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She passed him into the apartment. “Maybe. Here’s the thing.” She hopped up on the counter. “So, I was going to go tear Wulf a new one, but then I thought about what you said about how it was a problem you wanted to solve anyway, so then I thought, why not try? So I was thinking some more, trying to figure something out, and I just keep coming back to the same idea over and over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exposure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it’s dangerous! And I have no reason to think it'll do anything but put someone in danger.” He paused, then in a rush told her about his experience with the days of red eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure, but we have just as good chance of it working,” Valerie argued. “Plus we can start with a small amount. If you’re far enough away, I can just stop you. As for the days when your eyes were changed, as long as it doesn’t come with cravings I don’t think it's a problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny groaned, a pit of fear growing in his stomach. “Okay, but what if </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>the one injured? How are we supposed to practice for that? Just snap my arm over and over til I can control it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll cross that bridge later. One thing at a time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We already did cross that bridge. If I hadn’t been poisoned, it wouldn’t have gone well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so we have a benchmark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny stared at her, serving spoon full of sauce. “I feel like you’re being really casual about this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie leaned forward, grabbed his hand, directed it toward her mouth. “Mmm…” She looked surprised. “That’s actually really good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” Danny couldn’t help but smile. “But Val,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Danny, it’s not like you have any better ideas right?” Danielle interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny paused. “I guess not.” He blew out a sigh. “Okay, so…” He started grabbing plates down from the cabinet. “How do we do that? And what</span>
  <em>
    <span> is</span>
  </em>
  <span> up with the suitcase. I thought you stay in Elm during the semester.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Normally, yeah, but I think as long as we’re partners on this thing, and since our next steps all happen here, I figure I’ll stay here too. I’d rather not stay with my dad long term, but…I’ll just tell him I got a temporary tutoring job or something. And as for the exposure, how about you tell me exactly what triggers it and we’ll start with that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Danny watched her place her suitcase by the door. “You wanna stay here a while?” Danny offered. He turned to Danielle to hand her a plate and asked, “You mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danielle smiled and hooked an arm around Valerie’s shoulders. “Nope.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie smiled. “Thanks, but I already told my dad I’m coming back. I wanted to try the exposure thing tomorrow after I asked you some about it so I can plan something. The backpack though, is stuff I wanna leave here if that’s okay. My clothes keep getting ruined when I’m with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny laughed, though personally he thought it wasn’t a bad idea. “Could be worse. I’m still waiting on the insurance to cover my new phone.” They all moved to the living room to eat, then Valerie said a brief goodbye and headed out. Danny took the backpack and placed it atop his dresser before he got changed for bed. Danielle went up to her room, bidding Danny a sleepy goodnight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next morning, bright and early, Danny woke Valerie knocking at the door.  Hair tousled and still feeling drowsy, he accepted the coffee she offered him, and shuffled back to the sofa with it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So cravings,” Valerie started, notebook out and pen ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, uh, it’s kind of random. Sometimes someone would get a papercut or something in class and it didn’t bother me. But then there was the time Sam accidentally cut herself in the kitchen earlier in the day before I saw her and that got to me. It got better after I took a second to breathe a bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is there any kind of trigger that for sure brings it out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, when I’m injured. Which is rare. Or when there’s a larger amount of blood. Or when it’s close to me. That cut in class might have gotten me if it was right next to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so proximity, amount, and whether you’re injured yourself. Those are our main variables. Anything else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When I don’t eat a lot I guess? Makes all those scenarios affecting me more likely. And general stress.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. “Okay. then we’ll go with that. Don’t eat today, and we’ll start near sundown, when your Vampy instincts should be stronger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was a little hesitant, but nodded. Valerie left not long after, apparently to run some errands. Danny promised he would fast today, and waved her off feeling nervous. Danielle came down briefly, then left a short while later too, saying she was going to meet some friends from her online class, then stop by to see Dora. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny assumed she would be asking her about consuming blood. Danny shivered at the thought, then banished it from his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was mid afternoon when he started to feel hungry. By time Valerie arrived about an hour after sunset, he had settled on the sofa. He heard Valerie on the stairs, smelt her scent mingling with something sweet, and called for her to come in when he heard her reach the top of the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie did so, entering quietly. She approached him slowly from behind. “How are you feeling?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Hungry.” Danny shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny watched Valerie nervously while she stripped her sweater, and shoved his coffee table aside. She stood before him in her sweats and her sports bra again. Danny figured he’d mimick her and stripped his shirt also. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, how do we do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two choices. I prick my finger and catch you before you get to me. Or I catch you now, and keep a hold on you while I prick my finger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Both are kinda… I don’t know… I don’t like that both plans assume I lose control.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s why I kind of favor the first, because it means I only have to act if you need me to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shook his head. The ‘if’ made him uncomfortable. “I’ll let you choose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie nodded. “Maybe you should sit down.“ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny pulled the coffee table back to the center of the room, and picked up the sofa to tip it on it’s side against the wall. He sat on the edge of the table, looking up at Valerie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” she said. Danny’s eyes widened as he pulled her silver knife from it’s sheath at her back. He licked his lips and took a deep breath. “Take another breath.” Danny did as he was told. “One.” Danny tensed his muscles, trying to be still. “Two.” Danny’s heart pounded as Valerie brought the blade to her palm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Valerie drew the blade across her skin. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This idea was born from an idea that turned into a series of sketches that turned into this fic. Hopefully I can stick to it and actually finish. I have a whole plot outline start to finish, but IDK how long it will actually turn out to be. Hope people like it anyway. </p><p>Edit: here are some of the sketches, cleaned up a little and some of them colored. I'll probably post more as the story goes on. maybe just in the chapter notes. Not all of the sketches depict scenes that are actually going to happen. but some of them might. :)</p><p> </p><p>  </p></blockquote></div></div>
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